


Fight to Survive

by mulderette



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 03:44:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 57
Words: 150,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8085760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulderette/pseuds/mulderette
Summary: A plane crash leaves the team in a struggle to survive and brings about long-term repercussions, especially for Callen.





	1. Chapter 1

"Callen, is that you?"

G. Callen turned around and smiled as his eyes fell upon an old friend. "Andy! Man…how long as it been? 12 years at least…"

"Yeah, it's been a long time" Andy said with a grin as he shook Callen's hand. "How the heck are you?"

"I'm doing good, how about you?"

"Can't complain, can't complain."

"Hey, I'd like you to meet my partner, Sam Hanna. Sam, this is Andy Billings. He's an amazing pilot, flew me out of I don't know how many messes before I joined NCIS."

"Nice to meet you, Andy," Sam said with a smile.

"And these are the other members of my team, Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye." The two junior team members greeted Andy with friendly hellos.

"Sam, Marty, Kensi," Andy repeated their names as he shook each of their hands. "Guess I'm going to be flying you all home today."

"Yeah? That's great, Andy," Callen said. "It will give us a chance to catch up."

"Let me just finish the pre-flight check and then you can board. You've gotten yourselves a sweet little private plane. I'll be back with you shortly."

"Wow, a private plane? This is going to be great," Deeks said. "Guess that's our reward for solving the case in such a professional and speedy manner."

"I just want to get some shut eye," Sam said, covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Callen asked, giving his partner a curious look. "The beds in our room were pretty comfortable, I thought. I slept like a baby."

"Just couldn't sleep," Sam shrugged.

"You want to talk about it?" Callen asked.

Sam shook his head. "It's nothing, G…just a little insomnia." He'd had an uneasy feeling ever since they had wrapped up the case the previous day. There wasn't any real reason for it and it was nothing he could put his finger on. Hopefully, once they returned back to Los Angeles, the feeling would go away. He'd be happy just to get home and hug Michelle and Kamran.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind…" Callen said, looking concerned.

"I'm fine, G," Sam forced a smile and gave Callen a mock punch on his upper arm. The last thing he wanted was to worry Callen. "I'm just anxious to get home. That's all it is."

"Okay…if you're sure," said Callen.

"I'm sure," Sam insisted. "It's all good."

xxxxx

"Oh this is nice," Deeks settled himself into the soft leather seat. "You're not going to have any trouble falling asleep in one of these chairs, Sam."

Sam sat down in a seat by a window and Callen sat next to his partner while Kensi took the seat next to Deeks. A few minutes later, Andy walked into the passenger cabin. "Hey guys, everyone comfortable?"

"More than comfortable," Deeks smiled. "All you need is some foxy flight attendants and this would be perfection."

Kensi reached over and socked Deeks' arm.

"Ouch!"

"Don't you ever learn, Deeks?" Sam asked, grinning.

Deeks rubbed his arm and gave Kensi a flirtatious smile.

"There's a small refrigerator over there with some snacks and drinks which you're welcome to. Also, I hate to do this, but I've got to ask you to stow your weapons in the lock box," Andy said apologetically.

"What's the matter, you afraid we're going to shoot up the plane?" Callen smirked as he handed over his weapon. Sam, Deeks and Kensi followed his example.

"I don't make the rules," Andy said with a smile. "You guys should buckle in. After we're in the air, why don't you come up front and keep me company, Callen."

"Sounds good," Callen said, nodding.

"So G, are you and Andy really good friends?" Sam asked, looking at his partner after Andy had headed back to the cockpit.

"We're friendly," Callen said, shrugging. "We haven't spoken to each other in years, so you do the math."

"Hope that never happens to us," Sam said musingly. "Hope we don't lose touch and stop talking for 10 or more years…"

"That's not going to happen to us, Sam. We talk to each other every day, even when we're not on duty. Andy and I didn't have the kind of relationship you and I have. We weren't partners, more like friendly acquaintances," Callen said, looking worried once again. Sam was definitely not his usual cheerful self today. "What's eating you?"

Sam shook his head. "Nothing, G…just tired…"

Callen gave his partner a long look. Something was bothering Sam and it wasn't just a lack of sleep. He wouldn't push it though, at least not yet. "You should try to get some rest," he finally said quietly.

Sam nodded and leaned his head back against the chair, closing his eyes. Maybe if he slept, when he woke up, everything would be okay.

xxxxx

Once they were in the air, Callen headed to the cockpit. "Hey, Andy, how's it going?" he asked as he settled himself into the co-pilot's chair.

"Skies are calm. Don't see any potential storms ahead. It should be a pretty smooth flight."

"So, I guess I won't be having to jump out of the plane with people shooting at me," Callen said, laughing.

"Why would you say that?" Andy snapped.

"Huh?" Callen gave Andy a confused look. "That was the last flight I took with you…remember?" Andy sure was a lot more high strung than he remembered.

"Oh yeah," Andy chuckled. "Forgot about what a daredevil you used to be. Have you calmed down at all?"

"Maybe a little bit compared to those days," Callen said. "But I still have my moments."

"I'm sure you do," Andy said.

"How about you?" Callen asked. "Are you still with Jessica?" Andy and Jessica had been dating exclusively back then. They had been together constantly. Callen remembered her as being a very pretty girl, shy and sweet.

"Yeah…we're still together…" Andy replied, his expression serious. "We…we have two children…twins…Sarah and Samuel. You want to see a picture?"

"Love to," Callen replied. Andy dug a photo out of his wallet and passed it to Callen. "Wow, Andy. They are great looking kids. How old are they?"

"They're eight."

"You must be really proud of them."

"Yeah…I am… How about you, Callen? Anyone special in your life?"

Callen shook his head. "No, still searching for the right person."

"Maybe it's better not to have that person," Andy said quietly. "Then, if something happens to you, you're not leaving someone behind to grieve…"

"I guess so…" Callen wondered where this was all coming from. He had never remembered Andy being this morbid in the past. He wondered if he had just forgotten or if Andy had changed from the man he used to be.

Callen sat with Andy for a while longer, talking about insignificant things. "I guess I'm going to go check on my team," he finally said. "Want me to get you a drink or something to eat?" He got up from the chair and headed towards the cockpit door but was suddenly grabbed from behind.

"Sorry, Callen…Afraid I can't let you do that." Callen gasped as he felt the sudden, searing pain of a knife entering his abdomen. "Andy?" Callen whispered breathlessly as he slowly sank to the floor. His hand clutched at the stab wound and blood oozed out between his fingers.

"I'm really sorry, Callen," Andy stared at Callen, his face pale as he held the bloody knife. "When I heard it was you…I didn't want to do it, but, I didn't have a choice. They have my family, Jessica and the kids. I just didn't have a choice. It's nothing personal."

Callen tried to focus on what Andy was saying, but the pain was making it difficult. "I…we could have helped you…who…who did this?"

Andy shook his head. "I don't even know. I'm not going to make it out of this either…we all have to sacrifice. My children are innocent. They don't deserve this. I have to save them."

"How…how do you know they'll be safe? You're not thinking clearly. Let us help you. Wh…what's to stop whoever this is from killing them, even if I'm dead?"

"They'll let them go…I know they'll let them go. They have no reason to lie."

Callen knew he was quickly losing his fight against passing out. "Andy…Andy get Sam, please get him. He can help us. He can help both of us…"

"Sorry, Callen. I'm afraid I can't do that." Andy went over to the cockpit door and locked it, then dropped the knife into a cardboard box and began shuffling through the contents. Finally, he found what he had been looking for and pulled out a gun with a silencer attached to it. He calmly sat back down in the pilot's chair and pressed some buttons causing the plane to start a downward course. He then took the gun and shot out the radio and some other controls as well.

"I'm sorry about your team, Callen. They seemed like nice people. It's a shame they got caught up in this because of you…" He turned once more towards the man he had once called a friend. Callen's eyes were closed and he was no longer conscious. "Guess you should have stayed a lone wolf."

Andy then took the gun, carefully aimed it, and proceeded to shoot himself in the head.

xxxxx

"What the hell," Sam exclaimed as the shaking of the plane interrupted his light slumber. "What's going on?" he asked Deeks who shrugged his shoulders. Sam unhooked his seatbelt, stood up and headed towards the cockpit. "Everything okay?" he called out as he put his hand on the door handle and tried to open it. "G? The door is locked. Let me in."

Sam waited for a few moments, but there was only silence and no one came to the door. He started to get a sick feeling in his stomach. Obviously, things were far from okay.

"Damn it, let me in there! G, what's going on? Answer me!" Sam pounded on the door but to no avail. There was only silence behind it and the door remained tightly closed. Sam shook his head in frustration at being unable to help his partner. This was bad…This was really bad. "If you can hear me, I love you, G" he shouted as he hit the door one more time before heading back into the passenger cabin.

"What's going on, Sam?" Deeks asked as he and Kensi looked at him with anxious eyes.

Sam shook his head. "The cockpit is locked. I can't get in there. They're not answering me. I don't know what the hell is happening, but I think the plane is going down." As if confirming what Sam had said, the plane began shaking more violently and it was obvious that they were descending.

"Oh my God…" Kensi whispered as her eyes immediately began to fill. "Deeks?"

"It's okay, baby…it's okay," Deeks tried to reassure her as he grabbed Kensi's hand and clenched it tightly. "I love you, Kensi…no matter what happens…remember that…"

"I love you too," she said, her eyes fixed on his. Was this really happening? Were they about to die?

Sam fell into his seat and seat belted himself in as a multitude of thoughts ran through his head. What had happened to G? Was he even alive? Was he never going to see Michelle or his children again? He glanced at Kensi and Deeks and wondered if their life together was about to be snuffed out before it really even had a chance to begin. "Kensi…Deeks…If I don't get another chance to say it…It's been a real honor knowing both of you."

"You too, Sam," Deeks said, his eyes filled with emotion.

"I love you, Sam," Kensi said softly, choking back a sob.

"Love you, Kensi…you too, Deeks…"

"Love you, Sam."

Sam put down his head, closed his eyes and began to pray. He wished he could have had a few last moments with his partner. He hated to think he had died alone or was about to die alone. He wished he could have said goodbye to his wife and children…

The plane was shaking even more violently now. It felt like it was falling apart. Deeks and Kensi gazed at each other, each wanting the other's face to be the last thing that they saw as the plane finally made contact with the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam took some long, deep breaths as he came to the realization that the plane was on the ground and he was still in one piece. They had landed at somewhat of an angle and he was up higher than his teammates were. "Kensi? Deeks?" he called out as he unbuckled his seatbelt with shaking hands.

"Kensi? Are you alright?" Deeks unbuckled himself and stood up, trying to keep his balance on the tilted floor. Somehow, a bunch of equipment had managed to land right on top of Kensi's foot. "Kensi, Can you hear me?" he asked, taking her hand.

"Ooh," Kensi moaned softly as she opened her eyes. "Deeks?"

"Hey guys," Sam came up behind Deeks and put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Are either of you hurt?"

"Ankle," Kensi managed to say as she gritted her teeth, trying to hide her pain. "Are you two alright?"

"I'm fine, baby," Deeks said as he began to move some of the equipment away from her. "You're going to be fine too."

"Sam? Are you okay?" Kensi asked, looking up at him.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. You got this, Deeks?" he asked, anxious to try to get to his partner.

Deeks nodded, his face grim. "Go Sam." He knew if he was in Sam's place, that nothing could keep him from getting to Kensi's side.

Sam nodded his thanks and began to make his way towards the cockpit. "Just shout out if you need me." Luckily, there didn't seem to be anything burning, but he knew they should get out of the plane quickly, just in case. He reached the cockpit door and once again tried to open it. "G? can you hear me?" he shouted, struggling with the door. "Damn it!" He pounded the door in frustration and turned back towards the plane's main exit door. "I'm going to have to get in there through a window," he called to Deeks.

xxxxx

"Do you think Callen is okay?" Kensi asked Deeks who had finally successfully released her foot.

Deeks shook his head. "I don't know…let's hope he's as lucky as we were."

Kensi nodded. Deeks was right. She knew they were incredibly lucky to still be alive. "What do you think happened?"

"I have no idea, but we need to get you out of here. How bad do you think it is?" he asked, looking at Kensi's pale face. She was obviously in a great deal of pain.

"I think its broken," Kensi replied. She tried to sound nonchalant about it, but didn't quite pull it off. "I felt it snap."

Deeks cringed at her description. "That doesn't sound fun." He carefully unbuckled Kensi's seatbelt. "Put your arms around my neck," he instructed as he gently lifted her out of the seat.

Kensi wrapped her arms tightly around her boyfriend's neck and nestled her face into his shoulder. She felt safe in his arms, despite the situation, as he tenderly carried her off the plane.

Deeks walked what he determined to be a safe distance away from the plane and then cautiously placed Kensi down on the ground. "Are you going to be okay for a few minutes?" he asked her. "I want to go see if Sam needs any help."

"I'm fine, Deeks," Kensi nodded. "Go."

Xxxxx

While Deeks was in the process of getting Kensi off the plane, Sam had opened the plane's exit door and had made his way to the cockpit. Using a tree abutting the plane as an aid, he managed to climb up onto the nose of the plane and started to move aside the broken glass. It didn't take long for him to clear away enough glass to begin to climb through the windshield. He stopped short, halfway through, when he saw Andy with basically half his head blown off. "What the hell…" He didn't even see Callen at first. He wasn't buckled into the other seat. Sam jumped down to the floor of the cockpit and then he saw him, crumpled between the copilot seat and the control panel. He was lying on his side, facing away from Sam and he was very, very still. Sam just stared at him for a long moment, afraid that he was dead.

"G?" Sam knelt down into the too small space beside his partner and felt his neck for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when he got one. "Thank God…"

"Sam? You need any help?" Sam heard Deeks call from outside the plane.

"You want to see if you can find a first aid kit?" Sam called back after thinking for a few moments.

"You've got it!"

"G? Can you hear me?" Sam asked softly . He hated moving him, but he had no choice. He carefully turned him so he could pick him up more easily. It was then that he saw what appeared to be a knife wound with blood pooling on the floor beneath Callen. He stared at it in shock as he realized he had no time to waste. "I've got you, buddy." He lifted his partner off the floor and then unlocked the cockpit door and carried him off the plane.

xxxxx

"Sam…What happened to him?" Kensi looked dumbfounded as Sam placed his partner on the ground by her.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Kensi," Sam admitted as he tore apart Callen's shirt, to better examine his wound. "Damn…"

"Sam, I've got the first aid kit," Deeks ran up to them and deposited the box onto the ground next to Sam.

"Thanks, Deeks."

"That looks like…" Deeks began.

"Yeah, a knife wound," Sam finished in disgust as he opened up the kit and began sorting through the contents.

"Andy did that to him?" Deeks asked in surprise.

"Looks like it."

"I thought he was Callen's friend?"

"With friends like that, who needs enemies," Sam remarked.

"What about Andy? Is he…" Kensi asked.

"He's dead…" Sam answered. "He killed himself."

"He killed himself?" Deeks asked, exchanging a stunned look with Kensi. "Are you sure?"

"Blew his fool head off," Sam said, "gun was still in his hand."

"Oh my God…" said Kensi. "I don't understand…"

"I don't either, but we've got time to sort that out later," Sam said, putting his full attention on his partner. "Right now I need to focus on G." He found some rubber gloves which he just managed to tug onto his large hands. He then pulled a sterile gauze pad from the kit and proceeded to put pressure on the wound to try to stop the bleeding.

Once Sam began putting pressure on his abdomen, Callen felt the increasing pain and began to regain consciousness. "No," he whispered, as he instinctively reached out to stop whatever it was that was hurting him.

Deeks quickly grabbed Callen's hands and stopped him from interfering with Sam. "Its okay, Callen," he said soothingly. "You have to let him do this. You're going to be fine."

Sam looked distressed to be causing his partner even more pain but tried to calm him. "Everything's going to be alright, G. I just have to stop the bleeding."

Callen finally opened his eyes and looked blearily at Sam. "Wh…what happened?" he asked, wincing as a sharp pain shot through his abdomen.

"Shh…don't try to talk right now, G."

Callen squeezed his eyes shut. He wanted nothing more than to scream at Sam to stop and to twist away from his partner's hands pressing into him. He could feel his breathing accelerate and he tried to calm down and think about something else, but it was pretty difficult to do.

Finally, mercifully, Sam eased up on the pressure. Callen breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes, gazing up at his partner. "Thanks, Sam," he whispered.

"You're welcome… you hanging in there?" Sam asked.

Callen nodded his head wearily.

After I finish with G, I'll see what I can do for you, Kensi," Sam said.

"Don't worry about me, Sam," Kensi replied as she stared at Callen. He was deathly pale. She hated seeing him like this. It just wasn't natural to see their team leader in this state.

"Of course we're worried about you, sweetheart." Deeks brushed the hair back from her face and pressed a light kiss on her forehead. "You don't have to be brave for me," he whispered.

Callen had been listening to them talking and he looked at Sam apprehensively. "What's wrong with Kensi? I thought you were finished with me… "

"Sorry, buddy, not yet," Sam began, looking guiltily down at Callen. "Now I need to clean the wound. It's not going to be very pleasant, but I've got to do it…"

"It's alright, Sam," Callen said, managing a tight smile. He knew Sam was helping him and he didn't want the other man beating himself up over what had to be done. He clenched his fists as he mentally tried to prepare himself for the onslaught of pain he knew was coming. "But what's wrong with Kensi?" he repeated.

"She hurt her ankle. She'll be okay," Deeks said reassuringly.

"Okay…" Sam twisted the cap off a bottle of saline. "You ready, G?"

"Yeah, just do it," Callen closed his eyes tightly, his body tensed in anticipation of what was to come. He let out a slight gasp as Sam began to irrigate the wound. He really wished he could just pass out but his body wasn't cooperating with his brain.

"Now, I've got to pack it," Sam stated once he had finished the irrigation. He was trying not to look at his partner's face. He knew the best course of action was to just get this over with as thoroughly and quickly as possible. He hated causing Callen any additional pain. He began to soak strips of gauze with saline in preparation to pack the wound.

Deeks was mentally cringing as he watched Sam's ministrations. He turned his attention to Callen's pain-filled face. "You doing okay?"

Callen nodded. He now had his eyes firmly fixed on Sam as he waited for this newest bit of torture.

"Sorry about this, G," Sam apologized as he began to place the gauze into the wound, using a pair of metal tweezers and a cotton swab. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but knew it would be painful no matter how careful he was.

Unable to help himself, Callen let you a brief whimper which he quickly stifled and then bit his bottom lip so hard he inadvertently drew blood.

"Callen? Callen… here, squeeze my hand. It's going to be alright. You're going to be okay," Deeks grabbed his hand, trying to reduce Callen's stress and discomfort. He was finding this whole thing to be very unsettling.

Callen took Deeks' hand feeling some measure of comfort in the gesture. He then tried to slow his breathing which was rapidly becoming out of control once again. He didn't even notice that Sam had finally finished packing the wound until he felt his hand on his shoulder. "I'm finished, G…it's over."

Callen nodded shakily. "Thanks," he managed to whisper before allowing his eyes to close.

"G?" Sam shook his partner's shoulder gently but insistently, jarring him back into awareness. "Listen to me. I need to know where else you're hurt and you have to be honest with me, okay? It's important. No sugar coating."

Callen stared back at Sam for a few long moments before speaking. "Head…ribs…"

"Is that it, G? You're being totally honest with me?" Sam questioned again.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, Sam…I am…I promise," he said as he closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Okay…" Sam gazed at Callen with concern. The other man was noticeably shivering and he just didn't look good. He turned to Deeks. "I'm going to see what kind of survival stuff is on the plane, blankets, whatever else there might be," he informed him. "Then I'll take a look at Kensi's ankle."

"I'll be right back, G," Sam told his partner before heading over to the plane. Callen didn't respond.

"Guess that means I'm next," Kensi said to Deeks, forcing a brightness she did not feel into her voice. "Can't wait."

"I'll be right here with you," Deeks said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.

"Is he asleep?" Kensi lowered her tone, looking over at Callen sympathetically. She had finally stopped watching as Sam tended to him. She had somehow felt like she was intruding, to be watching Callen when he had been in so much pain and so vulnerable.

Deeks nodded. "Either that or he passed out." He moved closer to Kensi and she leaned into him as he put his arm around her.

"I can't believe this happened," she said.

"I know…it is pretty unbelievable." Deeks looked at Kensi with open concern. "Are you hurt anywhere else besides your ankle?" he asked her.

"No," Kensi shook her head. She gazed up into the thick green trees surrounding them. "No one is going to see us here, Deeks," she said downheartedly.

"Maybe they got off a distress call before we crashed," Deeks suggested.

Kensi looked at him doubtfully. "You think so?" she asked. "If Andy stabbed Callen and then shot himself, I don't think that he was calling for help. He wanted the plane to go down."

"Yeah, you're right," Deeks had to agree but then brightened. "Maybe we can use the radio to call in a Mayday and someone will be able to track us."

"Maybe," Kensi said. "If the radio is working…"

"Yeah…"

After that, they remained quiet until Sam returned, carrying a large canvas bag. "Survival kit," he stated as he placed it on the ground between Kensi and Callen.

"Anything good in there?" Deeks asked with interest.

Sam nodded. "Yes, it will definitely be helpful. We've got lots of useful things in here." At the moment though, his main objective was one of the blankets. He pulled one out, unfolded it and draped it gently over his partner. He then sighed softly and turned his attention to Kensi. "How you doing?" he asked her.

"Not too bad," Kensi replied.

"She thinks it's broken," Deeks stated. He shrugged as Kensi glared at him. "What? He needs to know, Kensalina."

"Let's get your boot off," Sam said. He unlaced it and then, as carefully as he could, tried to pull it off Kensi's foot. "Sorry," he murmured, seeing that she was clearly in a lot of pain. Finally, he managed to get it off. He then took the scissors out of the first aid kit and cut the bottom of her pants leg to allow him better access to her ankle. He removed her sock and saw that the flesh around her ankle was discolored and very swollen.

"That doesn't look very pretty," Sam said, "But don't worry, Kensi. It will be good as new before you know it."

Kensi cringed as Sam felt around her ankle with his fingers and she squeezed Deeks' hand firmly.

"It's okay, baby," Deeks said softly.

Sam was pleased to see that there were no open cuts and that Kensi's lower limb was not obviously deformed. He checked the pulses in her foot and found them to be satisfactory. "I'm going to go see if I can find anything on the plane to use for a splint," Sam said as he got to his feet.

"Aren't there a ton of bandages in the first aid kit?" Deeks asked, looking puzzled.

Sam nodded. "There are, but something cushioned with more support would be better and more comfortable. I'll be right back." He stole a look at his partner before walking off. Callen was sleeping restlessly as he mumbled something undecipherable. Sam wasn't sure if it was because he was in pain or was experiencing a nightmare. Neither was very desirable.

"He's really worried about Callen," Kensi commented sadly after Sam had headed back to the plane.

"Of course he is," Deeks said. "It's his partner and best friend. Callen will be okay though."

"You don't know that," Kensi said, lowering her voice considerably in the unlikely case that Callen could hear them.

"Come on, Kensi," Deeks pleaded softly. "We need to keep our spirits up here. Looking at worst case scenarios isn't going to help any of us. We need to have a positive attitude."

Kensi nodded. She knew that Deeks was right, but she was finding it hard to be positive right now. Her ankle hurt a lot more than she was willing to let on and she was concerned about Callen and their chances of getting out of this mess.

"This isn't like you, Kensi," Deeks tried again. "Isn't it usually me who's worried about the other shoe dropping?"

Kensi couldn't help but smile at that. "I think this was more than just a shoe, dropping, Deeks. This was a whole airplane dropping right out of the sky."

Deeks nodded, a grin on his face. "It was, but we all survived that, didn't we? Positivity, Kensalina. I think it's the key." Of course, Deeks was as worried as she was, but he was going to try his best to keep the spirits of his teammates up, especially Kensi.

A few minutes later, Sam came back, his arms loaded up with three pillows and some bottles of water. He dumped them on the ground and handed a bottle of water each to Deeks and Kensi. "Important to stay hydrated," he stated. "There's enough water onboard for a few days anyway. Unfortunately, the radio is dead. Looks like Andy shot it up. I don't know if we can get it working." He shook his head in disgust. That guy had been one crazy bastard. It was hard to imagine he and Callen had been friends after what Andy had done. He must have changed a lot in the years since they had last seen each other. "Tomorrow, I'm going to scout around and see what I can find."

Sam took two of the pillows and positioned them around Kensi's lower leg and ankle area. "Deeks, I need you to hold these into place," he instructed. Deeks held the pillows as directed while Sam used bandages to secure them. "That should, hopefully, keep everything where it's supposed to be," Sam said. "There, how does it feel?" Sam asked her after he had finished.

"It's better," Kensi replied, though not entirely convincingly.

"Here, take some of these." Sam handed her a bottle of ibuprofen. "That should help somewhat with the pain." He then turned towards his partner with the remaining pillow in hand. He carefully lifted Callen's head and slipped the pillow underneath him. Callen never even stirred. "You just rest, G," Sam said softly, patting his shoulder affectionately.

"Sam?" Deeks got to his feet as he spoke. "I'm going to gather some firewood." It would soon be dark and the temperature, although not too cold, was noticeably dropping.

"Thanks, Deeks," Sam gave the younger man a grateful nod. "Just stay close by, okay?"

"I will," Deeks stated and he headed off.

Sam gave a heavy sigh, lowered his head and rubbed his eyes wearily after Deeks had left. Although he had been experiencing feelings of foreboding, he had never imagined they would be in a situation like this.


	3. Chapter 3

It was pretty easy for Deeks to find firewood. He kept the campsite in his sightline at all times and was making numerous short trips so that they would have a good supply. "You sure you don't want me to get some?" Sam asked as Deeks returned with yet another armful of wood.

Deeks shook his head. "No, Sam. You've done more than enough for one day." He liked doing this. It made him feel useful and it was a much easier task than having to tend to the medical needs of the team. He still felt squeamish when he thought of what Sam had needed to do to Callen.

While Deeks was gathering the wood, Sam had begun to sort through the survival kit. There was a decent supply of emergency rations and water packets. With the additional water bottles in the plane, at least they were in good shape as far as water went. There were also water purification tablets if those became necessary. Sam found bright orange foam pads they could use to sleep on. He would give one to G the next time he woke up. There were also waterproof matches, flashlights, a compass, an emergency whistle, signaling mirrors, rope and other assorted useful items. Sam felt a lot better just knowing they had all this at their disposal. It was just too bad that Callen and Kensi were hurt.

"You think this is enough for now?" Deeks asked as he dumped another load of wood onto the ground.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, definitely. You did good, Deeks. Thank you."

"My hero," Kensi said playfully smiling up at him.

"Aww…that just makes it all worth it," Deeks said as he bent down and kissed Kensi.

Sam smiled at the banter of the two agents. It helped lighten the mood at least a little bit. He set to work building the campfire and it wasn't long before a warm blaze was glowing. Deeks took two of the orange pads and placed them together for himself and Kensi. After he had gotten her situated, he tucked a blanket around her. "This is pretty cozy," Kensi said, smiling.

"It is indeed." Deeks sat down beside her and she cuddled into him as he put his arm around her. "This isn't bad at all."

"You guys hungry?" Sam asked. "There are some protein bars and stuff like that here if you want it."

The two younger agents nodded and Sam tossed them over a couple of the bars.

"Thanks Sam," Deeks took the two bars and passed one to Kensi.

Sam opened his bar and took a bite as he glanced over at Callen who remained asleep. Because he didn't appear to be in any distress, Sam decided not to wake him. It was probably better just to let him rest.

"Really wish we had some marshmallows," Deeks said.

"And some graham crackers and chocolate squares," Kensi chimed in.

"Yeah well unfortunately, I don't think that's in the cards for us this trip," Sam said as he tossed some more wood on the fire.

"We should do that sometime though, right?" Deeks said excitedly. "Have a team camping trip with steaks and s'mores, tents and sleeping bags. It would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"Ask me again after we get through this," Sam said, yawning. "I'm going to try to get some shuteye. See you guys in the morning. "

"Good night, Sam," Deeks said.

"Good night, Sam," Kensi echoed as she turned to Deeks and pulled him in for a kiss. "I think a camping trip sounds like a terrific idea."

xxxxx

Callen awoke to the sound of the campfire snapping and crackling. He stared up into the night sky as he tried to process what had happened over the past few hours. He knew they had crashed, but basically he had been out for the count once Andy had stabbed him. He still couldn't believe he'd done it. He sighed softly as he took a few deep breaths. He wasn't feeling well at all. His head was pounding, his ribs hurt and he was trying not to think about the pain in his abdomen. On top of everything, he felt nauseous. The more he tried not to think about how lousy he was feeling, the worse he felt. He carefully sat up and checked the position of his teammates. Kensi and Deeks were cuddled together under a blanket apparently sleeping. Sam was close by him also seemingly asleep. He was careful not to make a sound. He knew from experience it wouldn't take much to awaken any of them. He stared morosely into the fire and thought about their situation. He hated feeling like this. He didn't like having to depend on the others as much as he had been doing. Of course, he knew Sam was the obvious choice to lead them. As a Navy Seal, Sam had a lot more training in survivor skills than himself, Kensi or Deeks.

"G?" Sam spoke in a whisper as he sidled up beside Callen.

"Hey Sam," Callen glanced at his partner, his voice also low, not wanting to wake their junior teammates.

"How are you feeling?"

Callen considered the question, wondering if Sam was still insisting on the total honestly thing he had been going on about earlier. "Thanks for taking care of me, Sam," he said, deflecting the question entirely.

"G…"

"I feel like crap, Sam, okay?" his voice cracked as he spoke the words and uncharacteristically let his guard down.

Sam stared back at him for a long moment before putting his arm around his shoulders. "I know you do G…"

The friendly gesture was almost Callen's undoing. He closed his eyes momentarily as he tried to get himself together. Damn… this wasn't good at all. He couldn't allow himself to fall apart. "I'll be okay…" He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Sam or himself. In either case, he was far from okay.

"Here…drink this." Sam handed him a bottle of water which Callen took and dutifully drank a few sips from. "You want to talk about what happened?" Sam asked.

Callen shook his head. "I don't know…basically he just snapped, Sam…I was heading back to the passenger cabin and he grabbed me from behind and stuck me with the knife. I was totally caught off guard…still can't believe he did it..."

"Of course you were caught off guard. You never would have expected something like that to happen. Why would you have?"

"He said he had to do it…someone has his wife and two kids and if he didn't kill me, they would be killed."

"You have any idea who?"

Callen shook his head. "He said he didn't even know who it was. I haven't seen or talked to this guy in such a long time, Sam. Whoever did it, it must be from a really far back case. I have no idea who it is or what it's about."

"He should have asked for our help," Sam stated. "Now he's dead…why did he kill himself? What the hell did he accomplish?"

"He wasn't thinking clearly," Callen said. "None of this makes any sense at all…"

"Well, it doesn't help to worry about it now anyway, G. Getting rescued is our first priority. There's nothing we can do about any of this from out here."

"Getting rescued doesn't seem like it's going to be very easy," Callen said with a heavy sigh. He knew he should be helping to do something, even just to strategize, but it was all he could do just to stay awake.

"You sound like Kensi," Deeks said dropping to the ground beside the other two men.

"Sorry, Deeks, did we wake you?" Sam asked.

Deeks shook his head. "No, I've just been kind of dozing on and off. How are you doing?" he asked, directing his gaze toward Callen.

"I'm good," Callen replied shortly.

Deeks momentarily considered debating that point, but decided it wouldn't be a very good idea. He and Sam shared a glance, which Callen noticed and was irritated by, but none of them said anything.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Deeks asked, figuring a change of subject was in order.

"I'm going to see if I can get anywhere with the radio," Sam said. "If not, I'm going to do some scouting, try to find some kind of a clearing or body of water. We'll have a better chance to signal and maybe someone will spot us. Trees are too thick here. No one will see us."

Deeks nodded. "That's what Kensi said earlier."

"How's she doing?" Sam asked.

"I guess she's doing okay," Deeks replied. "I know she's in more pain than she's admitting to, but that's just how some people are wired…She wants me to think she's invincible…"

"If you've got something to say to me, Deeks, just say it," Callen snapped. "You don't have to hide behind stories about your girlfriend."

"Whoa," Deeks looked at Callen in genuine surprise. "I wasn't talking about you, Callen."

"Whatever." Callen pulled the blanket tighter around his body and practically flung himself on the ground. He regretted the action immediately as pain shot through his entire torso. He turned so that his back was facing Sam and Deeks and squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply to control the pain.

"Seriously, Callen…" Deeks began, but was stopped by Sam who put his hand on Deeks' shoulder and shook his head.

"I think we should all try to get some sleep," Sam suggested quietly.

Deeks nodded and headed back to Kensi while Sam laid back down. He cast a concerned look at his partner before he closed his eyes in an attempt to get some rest.


	4. Chapter 4

Kensi groaned softly as she began to awaken. Her entire body felt very stiff and her ankle was throbbing mercilessly. She opened her eyes to find Deeks' blue eyes focused on her. "Good morning, sunshine," he greeted, giving her a smile.

"Good morning." In spite of how stiff and sore she felt, she was unable to resist smiling back at him. As awful as this whole situation was, he always seemed to be able to make her feel better.

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "I'm doing okay."

"What did I tell you about not having to be brave for me, Kensalina," he asked softly as he leaned in and pressed a kiss on her lips. "I know you've got to be hurting, sweetheart."

Kensi sighed. "It doesn't really do any good to complain about it, Deeks. It is what it is."

"Yeah but it is better to know what we're dealing with," said Sam breaking into the conversation. "And we do have ibuprofen which I know isn't the strongest, but it can help take the edge off." He squatted down beside her. "Besides the pain, how are you doing? Are you experiencing any numbness or tingling in your foot?"

She shook her head. "No, I haven't noticed any of that."

"Good," said Sam. "Can you wiggle your toes?"

"Yes." Kensi tugged the blanket off of her foot and demonstrated. "Happy?" she asked teasingly.

"Very," Sam said smiling back at her.

"Is Callen awake yet?" Deeks asked in a whisper.

Sam shook his head. "No. I think he's still sleeping."

Deeks nodded. "That's good. Best thing for him."

Sam sighed. "You know he didn't mean what he was saying last night, Deeks. He was just feeling lousy and he took it out on you."

"I know, Sam. It's fine. If it helps him, I'm more than willing to be his verbal punching bag."

"Deeks," Sam looked at him somberly. "It's not like that. You're not anyone's punching bag, certainly not Callen's."

"I said its fine, Sam. I think we're all pretty frustrated right now. Tempers are bound to flare up."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, well just so you know he didn't mean anything by it."

"I do. Don't worry about it."

"Okay, I'm going to go see if I can find anything halfway decent for breakfast." Sam stood up and headed over to the plane after checking to make sure Callen was still asleep.

"What?" Deeks looked at Kensi who was looking at him speculatively.

"What did Callen say to you?" she asked. "When was all this happening?"

Deeks shook his head. "It was nothing, Kensi. You were sleeping. Sam and Callen were talking, I went over to them… probably shouldn't have…"

"Why would you say that?" Kensi asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know…this is pointless." He changed the subject abruptly. "Anyhow, Sam was right about the ibuprofen. You should take some. Try to stay ahead of the pain if you can."

Kensi nodded deciding to let him off the hook for now. "Okay."

xxxxx

Callen slowly opened his eyes and it took a few moments for him to become oriented to his surroundings. He painstakingly sat up and reached for the water bottle beside him. He took the cap off the bottle and took two long refreshing sips then put the cap back on and set the bottle down beside his hip. It was then that he noticed Kensi and Deeks, both with their eyes on him. He immediately felt himself begin to tense up.

"Good morning," Deeks spoke first, more than willing to break the ice.

"Good morning," Callen replied. "How are you guys doing?"

"We're good," Deeks replied. "How are you?"

"I'm good too…" Callen felt very on edge again and he really didn't know why. He needed to get things back to normal. "Deeks…Listen…"

Deeks shook his head. "It's fine, Callen."

"No. It's not fine, Deeks. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, no big deal…"

Callen let the matter drop, too drained to pursue it any further. "Where's Sam?" he asked.

"He's in the plane. You want me to get him?"

"No… that's okay… thanks." He sighed and stared down at the ground, not knowing what to do with himself. He was the team leader and felt incapable of leading anyone anywhere. He knew that his physical condition was impeding his mental state. He was sluggish, irritable and very much off his game.

"Hey G," Sam walked back into their little camp, a big smile on his face. "I see you woke up just in time for breakfast." He handed each of the agents a fruit cup with a plastic spoon. "Here you go guys, a gourmet delight."

"Thanks Sam," Kensi happily accepted the fruit cup as did Deeks.

"How are you doing, G?" Sam asked as he sat down beside his partner. He had taken the fruit cup from Sam but hadn't said anything.

Callen shrugged and remained silent, but then saw Sam was staring at him. He decided he needed to answer. "I'm alright."

"That's good," Sam said easily, not wanting to confront his partner. He took the lid off the fruit cup and ate a spoonful of the fruit. "Mm…this is pretty tasty."

"Glad you like it so much, you can have mine too," Callen said, placing it on the ground next to Sam.

"G…"

Callen rolled his eyes. "I'm not a little kid like Kamran, Sam. You can't force me to eat."

Sam studied his partner. His cheeks looked flushed and there was a thin sheen of sweat over his face. "You running a fever, G?" he asked.

Callen didn't bother to answer him.

Sam opened up the first aid kit and shuffled around, finally coming up with a digital thermometer which he handed to his partner. Callen thought about refusing to put it in his mouth but the look on Sam's face discouraged that strategy. He sighed loudly and stuck the thermometer under his tongue. When the thermometer beeped, Sam took it from his partner's mouth. "104.2…" No wonder he was so miserable. Sam took the bottle of ibuprofen, shook out some tablets and handed them to his partner. "Your temp is too high, G." The calmness in Sam's voice disguised what he was feeling inside. "Let's see if we can get it down."

Callen did as Sam asked. He swallowed the tablets with a few gulps of water.

"Why don't you try to go back to sleep," Sam suggested and was relieved when his partner did as he asked once again. Unable to hide his exhaustion, Callen practically collapsed onto the ground and was asleep almost immediately. Sam shook his head, infuriated with the whole situation and how limited he was in his ability to help his partner. He stood up and kicked the ground in frustration before walking over to Kensi and Deeks.

"How is he?" Deeks asked, both he and Kensi looking up at Sam with worry-filled eyes.

"He's not good," Sam said shaking his head. "104.2 temperature…" Sam's thoughts were becoming morbid. Up until this point, he had been relatively sure he could take care of his partner, that he would get them out of this mess. Now though, the reality of the situation was hitting him and he was beginning to fear that G might not make it. He needed to be in a hospital, not out here in the middle of nowhere without proper medical attention.

"You're doing everything you can for him, Sam," Kensi said softly.

"Yeah, well it's not enough," Sam replied. "I'm going to go see if I can make any headway with the radio." He glanced over at Callen. "Give a shout out if he needs me."

"I will," Deeks replied.

They watched as Sam made his way to the plane. "I wish there was something I could do," Deeks said," his expression bleak. "This is tearing him up."

"He'll be okay, Deeks," Kensi said, taking his hand.

Deeks nodded and he tightened his grip on Kensi's hand, feeling thankful that she was a part of his life.

xxxxx

Unable to deal with the close proximity of Andy's body as he tried to work on the radio, Sam finally dragged him into the lavatory and slammed the door. He then returned to the task at hand, but was finding himself increasingly exasperated as he realized that he was not going to be able to get the radio back in working order. He flung the screwdriver to the floor and was thankful for the isolation of the cockpit as he could feel his eyes brimming with tears. "Get a grip, Hanna," he whispered to himself. As quickly as he had let his emotions go, he got them back under control. He picked up Andy's gun, which he had pulled from the man's dead fingers, and checked the clip which was empty. At that point, he began a search for ammunition but couldn't find anything. Nor could he find the lockbox where Andy had claimed he was going to store their weapons. He wondered if the lockbox had even been onboard when they had taken off. Realizing he wasn't accomplishing anything on the plane, he headed back out to the campsite.

"Any change?" Sam asked Deeks as he squatted down beside his partner.

"No. He's just been sleeping," Deeks replied.

Sam nodded and picked up the thermometer, placing it into Callen's mouth. "104.5" he said grimly after the thermometer beeped. The fact that his fever was still climbing in spite of the ibuprofen was ominous. It seemed relentless in the grip it had on his partner. "G…you're killing me here…" He folded the blanket away from Callen's torso and carefully unwrapped the loose gauze covering the packed wound. What he saw did not look good. There was yellow pus around the edges of the wound and he knew there would be more inside. "Damn knife must have been filthy," Sam said in disgust. He then beckoned to Deeks. "Hey, can you come here for a minute?"

"What's up, Sam?" Deeks asked, immediately hurrying to Sam's side.

"I need you here in case you have to hold him down," Sam said.

"Sure…what are you going to do?" Deeks asked solemnly, already inwardly feeling sorry for Callen.

"Change this damn wound packing," Sam stated. "He has a raging infection going on here."

Deeks glanced down at the wound then quickly looked away. It was really nasty looking.

"Okay, get ready," Sam said as he used the tweezers and began carefully pulling the gauze from inside the wound. Deeks kept his eyes averted from what Sam was doing, fixing them on Callen's face in case he began to regain consciousness. Luck was with them this time, however, as Callen did not awaken. Sam repacked the wound as quickly as he could and retaped some more loose gauze over the top of it. He breathed a sigh of relief when he had finished, glad that he hadn't caused his partner to undergo another painful ordeal. Sam then soaked a piece of bandage and placed it on Callen's forehead.

"I'm going to go scout around," Sam said, looking at Deeks. He hated leaving his partner in such a state but Sam needed to make a concerted effort to get them rescued. He picked up a compass from the group of supplies. "I'll be back in an hour or less." He took the emergency whistle and handed it to Deeks. "Watch him closely. If you need me for anything…anything at all, use this and I'll get back here fast. Okay?"

Deeks nodded. "You've got it. I'll take good care of him. Good luck, Sam."

"Thanks. You too."

xxxxx

About a half hour after Sam had left, Callen opened his eyes and looked around wildly while trying to remain inconspicuous. It was really, really hot. He had no idea where his captors had brought him. It felt like the desert but the trees everywhere didn't support that. He could see a man and a woman sitting nearby. They appeared to be the only ones guarding him at the moment. He saw that he was unbound and smirked to himself. They were severely underestimating him. He couldn't see Sam anywhere. He hated that they were separated. He prayed Sam was okay, that he wasn't being tortured or something worse than that.

Deeks looked over and saw that Callen was awake. He walked over to him and immediately saw that he still looked very flushed and his eyes were glazed. Not a good sign. "Hey Callen, how are you feeling?" He was surprised when Callen scrambled to his feet and backed away from him. "Hey, hey…what are you doing?"

"Where's Sam?" Callen asked demandingly.

"He's just out scouting, trying to find a good place where we can signal for help," Deeks answered soothingly. "He'll be back really soon, okay?"

Callen shook his head. "I know you're lying. Where is he? Tell me now."

"I'm not lying, Callen…It won't be long before he's back here."

"You're using him to get to me. What's your agenda? What do you want from me?"

"I? Uh…what?" Deeks was totally bewildered and knew now that Callen was hallucinating. "Callen… it's me, Deeks. You know me. We work together. I don't have an agenda."

"Stop with your lies," Callen said, narrowing his eyes. "I don't believe a word that you're saying. You better pray that Sam is alright. If…if he's dead…I will kill both of you and whoever else is responsible."

Deeks stared back at Callen and for a moment actually felt nervous. He knew Callen was dangerous. Under these circumstances, who knew what he was capable of. He backed up to where Kensi was sitting, keeping an eye on the other man as he did so. "Kensi…what should we do? He's really out of it. He has no idea who we are…"

Kensi looked at Callen, considering their options. She wished Sam was there. He would have a better idea of how to handle his partner. Finally she called out to him. "Callen? It's Kensi. We've worked together for a very long time. I'm your favorite agent. I know you remember who I am." She smiled and summoned him with her hand. "Come here…I just want to talk."

Callen slowly shook his head. Neither of them was carrying a weapon. Now was his chance to try to escape and look for Sam. Abruptly, he turned and started to run. "Callen, no!" Deeks yelled as he took off after him. He quickly caught up to the agent and grabbed him. "Callen, don't. No one is going to hurt you or Sam."

"Let go of me!" Callen struggled ferociously to escape. Finally, he managed to twist his arm out from Deeks' grasp and elbowed him sharply in the chest.

"Come on, Callen, stop." The blow to his chest caused him to loosen his grip and Callen came at him, fists flying. Deeks, unwilling to hurt the other man any more than he was already hurt, was mainly in self defense mode. Callen got a vicious punch to connect with Deeks' left eye. Deeks hit the ground hard and laid there, dazed.

"Deeks!" Kensi had been slowly crawling to where the two men were brawling and she reached Deeks' side shortly after he hit the ground. "Deeks? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah…yeah I hear you," he said as he grabbed at his face. "Oh man… who would have thought Callen could hit like that… Sam yeah, but Callen? Oh man…"

"We need to get a cold compress on that," Kensi said. "That's really going to swell."

"I'll be okay, Kensi. We just need to try to keep Callen calmed down. He's really…" Deeks turned his head suddenly panicked. "Where is he? Where did he go?!"

"I…"

"No, no no no, no…" Deeks got to his feet and scanned the area . "Kensi, please tell me you have some idea which way he went."

"I don't know, Deeks… I'm sorry. I was concentrating on you."

"Damn!" Deeks bent down and lifted Kensi up into his arms then carried her over to their makeshift bed. He picked up the whistle and blew it loudly to signal Sam. "I'm going to go that way," he said, pointing.

"What? No," Kensi shook her head. "Just wait for Sam to get back here. He won't be long and you can work together."

Deeks shook his head. "I'm sorry, baby. I need to go now. Callen's in really rough shape. I can't just sit here twiddling my thumbs." He suddenly thought better of leaving her exposed and alone. "Come on," he said, picking her up again. "You'll be safer on the plane."

"Deeks, just stay here," Kensi pleaded. "Please wait for Sam. You shouldn't go out there alone."

Deeks shook his head as he placed her down inside the plane right near the refrigerator. "There's stuff in there to eat and drink." He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "I'm sorry. I have to do this. I'll see you soon, Kensi, I promise."

"Deeks please!" she called out once again, but her plea fell on deaf ears as Deeks trotted off and Kensi was left alone.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam was totally unnerved when returned to camp and found his teammates missing. "G? Kensi! Deeks!"

"Over here, Sam." He looked towards the plane and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Kensi sitting by the entrance. He made his way over to her.

"Hey Kensi, you scared me. What's going on? How come you're over here?" He looked past her, further into the plane, but saw no sign of Deeks or Callen. He looked at her questioningly. "Where are they?"

"They're not here," she said, obviously upset.

"They aren't here?" Sam echoed, looking down at her in confusion. When he had left, Callen hadn't been in any shape to go traipsing through the woods with Deeks. "How…where did they go?"

"I don't know…Callen punched Deeks and took off and now Deeks is off God knows where trying to find him."

Sam looked at Kensi incredulously. He hadn't even been gone an hour and all this had happened?

"Why did he hit Deeks?"

Kensi was overly emotional and losing her patience as the words tumbled out of her mouth. "He didn't have a reason, Sam. He was hallucinating. He didn't even know who we were. He thought we had killed you or were holding you captive or I don't really know what he was thinking. He freaked out and punched Deeks in the eye. Deeks was lying on the ground dazed. I was checking on him and Callen took off. I wasn't paying attention. I have no idea where he went. I'm sorry."

Sam didn't doubt that Callen had packed a mean punch. Feverish, miserable and feeling threatened wouldn't have been a good combination for his partner and he would have let loose with a fury. He also knew Deeks wouldn't have wanted to hurt G so would have been at a distinct disadvantage. He just wished Deeks had waited for him to return before heading off into the woods. "He should have waited for me to get back," Sam said.

"He was upset and worried, Sam," Kensi retorted defensively. "I don't think he wanted to be here doing nothing when Callen was off in the woods under our watch. You would have done the same thing." She was feeling pretty guilty about it herself. She could only imagine how bad Deeks was feeling.

Sam sighed, knowing that was true. "Okay. I'd better get out there and start looking for them.

"Do you know which way Deeks was heading?"

"I think he was headed west. At least that's what he said when we were outside, but, I don't know, Sam. Maybe he went another way. He doesn't know anything about the wilderness. You have to find him before he gets lost out there."

Sam nodded, not able to contradict what Kensi was saying. Deeks didn't even have a compass which had proven to be a godsend for Sam in their current predicament. "Okay. I'm going to work a perimeter and try to spot them. I don't think G is going to get far the shape he's in. From what you described, his fever is out of control."

Kensi nodded. "He really wasn't good. You need to hurry, Sam."

"I will," said Sam, "and what I need you to do is blow the whistle every few minutes, just one long blast. If Deeks gets back before I do, keep him here and blow the whistle three times in succession. I'll come back and we can coordinate. Are you okay here? Do you need anything before I leave?"

"I'm good, Sam," Kensi reassured him. "Just go. Hurry."

Sam nodded and quickly headed back out to begin his search.

xxxxx

Callen was struggling as he made his way through the woods. His gait was unsteady and he kept licking his dry lips, feeling unbearably hot and thirsty. He wished he had some water. He wished he had some idea where Sam was being held. He could hear a whistle every so often and knew that they were after him. He clutched his abdomen, unable to ignore the pain that was assaulting him. He stopped walking as his vision blurred and he crumpled down onto the ground.

xxxxx

Sam had no idea what Deeks' strategy would be. He didn't know if he would follow a particular plan or if he would just run off into the woods half-cocked. He headed in the opposite direction from where Kensi had thought Deeks had started out. Hopefully, he would connect with the younger man relatively quickly. "G! Deeks!" he called out as he started walking. "G! Deeks! Can you hear me?!" Sam kept a steady pace, searching the woods carefully as he did. He smiled faintly when he heard Kensi's first whistle blast. If anything, that would hopefully keep Deeks from straying too far in the wrong direction.

xxxxx

"Callen, what were you thinking?" Deeks was talking to himself as he walked. Even as he said the words though, he knew it was a stupid question. Callen's mind had been muddled by fever. He hadn't been thinking, at least not rationally. Deeks was paying close attention to the area around him, trying not to stray too far away from camp. Everything looked the same. Just trees, trees and more trees… He envied Sam having the compass. Every so often, he was using the knife he was carrying to carve X's onto trees in an attempt to mark his path. He didn't want to get lost. Hopefully, this would get him back to camp safely. He wondered if Kensi had been right. Maybe he should have waited for Sam to return. He just didn't think he could have stood to see the look on Sam's face if he told him he had allowed Callen to run off into the woods alone and he wasn't doing a thing about it. He abruptly stopped short, sure that he heard something. "Callen? Callen, is that you?" he called out. He took off in the direction of the sound, no longer paying attention to his location. "Callen? Come on, man, we're not going to hurt you. We're just trying to help." Deeks was running quickly and never even slowed down when he reached an area which was covered with old dead brush and branches. He was never even suspicious until it all gave way and he tumbled down into the deep, dark pit.

xxxxx

Sam almost walked right by his partner who was lying on the ground, his body partially obscured by a bush. Sam became more apprehensive as he approached him, expecting the worst. Callen's breathing was heavy, however, so Sam knew he was alive before he reached him. "G?" Sam placed his hand on Callen's forehead and could feel the heat radiating from it. "Damn, you're burning up, buddy. Come on…let's get you back to camp."

xxxxx

"Ooh." Deeks lay at the bottom of the pit, momentarily stunned, as he tried to get his bearings. The first thing he noted was that his left shoulder hurt pretty badly. He tried to move it but hissed when the pain sharpened considerably. "Oh this is bad," he said to himself as he clutched his shoulder with his right hand and slowly sat up. He looked up to try to assess the situation. There was no way in hell he was getting out of this pit without help. The hole he had fallen into was definitely deep enough that Sam would need a rope to get him out of there. Of course, that was assuming Sam even found him. There wasn't a whole lot of daylight down where he was, but there was enough for him to see the skeleton of some long dead animal off to his right. "Hope I have better luck getting out of here than you did," Deeks said gloomily.

xxxxx

Sam came back into camp and gently placed Callen down on the pad he had been using to sleep on. "G? Come on, can you hear me?" Sam pleaded as he squatted beside his partner. He doused a fresh strip of bandage with water and placed it on his forehead. Then he soaked a gauze pad and gently bathed Callen's chest. Receiving no sign that Callen knew he was there, Sam headed over to the plane to check on Kensi.

"How's Callen?" Kensi asked. She had been watching Sam care for his partner from the plane. Although she was happy he had found their team leader, she was disappointed that they had returned without Deeks.

Sam shrugged. "He seems about the same. Why don't you blow the whistle three times now," he suggested. "I think Deeks will figure out he should come back."

Kensi nodded and did as Sam wanted then tossed the whistle down on the floor. "I hate this," she said, shaking her head in frustration. "I should be looking for him too instead of being stuck here."

"Kensi, I'm going to find him," Sam said as reassuringly as he could, hoping to God what he was saying was true. "Anyhow, we couldn't both be out there looking even if you weren't hurt. Someone would have to be here with G."

Kensi nodded reluctantly. What Sam said was true. "Are you going to bring Callen in here?"

Sam hesitated then nodded. "Yeah, at least until tonight. You both need to be out by the fire when the temperature starts dropping." He looked out at the campsite. The fire had burned out and was going to need to be built back up. They would have to gather more firewood.

Kensi was troubled when Sam brought up the impending nightfall. She knew he would no longer be able to search for Deeks once darkness fell. She couldn't bear the thought of Deeks being out in the forest all night, cold and alone. She just wanted him back.

Sam went outside and once again picked Callen up and carefully brought him into the plane, laying him down near the entrance by Kensi.

"Hetty? Hetty, I lost Sam…I can't find him anywhere," Callen began murmuring.

"Shh…G, I'm right here," Sam said softly, his hand on his partner's shoulder. "You found me. Everything's okay."

"Sam? Where are you, Sam?"

"I'm right here with you, buddy." Sam continued to softly reassure his partner as he gently rubbed his shoulder. Eventually, Callen settled down.

Kensi had been watching the interaction between the two men impatiently, forcing herself to remain silent. As badly as she needed Sam to head off immediately in search of Deeks, she knew he needed a little bit of time with his partner before doing so.

"I'm going to go get some blankets in case you need them. Be right back," Sam said as he got to his feet. He then went outside and gathered up some blankets and brought them into the plane along with the first aid kit. Once he had put the supplies within Kensi's reach, he opened the refrigerator and got out some bottles of water and a fruit cup then grabbed some bags of chips. "In case you get hungry," he said, placing the items beside her.

Sam then squatted next to Callen again and resoaked the bandage on his forehead. He hated having to leave him. With every fiber of his being, he wanted to stay and try to get him through this. He was so afraid he was going to leave and come back to find that Callen had succumbed to his injuries. He knew he needed to find Deeks though. "You hang in there for me, G," Sam said softly, squeezing Callen's hand gently. "You need to fight really hard, okay?"

Kensi could see the torment in the eyes of the senior agent. She knew how she would feel if Deeks was seriously ill and she was being forced to leave his side. "Sam…I'll take good care of him. I promise."

Sam nodded and forced a smile. "I know you will, Kensi." He sighed as he got to his feet. "Alright, I'm heading out. Three times if Deeks comes back." He handed her the bottle of ibuprofen. "If G happens to regain consciousness, see if you can get him to take some of these," Sam said to Kensi. They hadn't been very helpful yet, but that could change. "Try to get some water into him too, if you can."

"I will."

"Okay, I'll see you soon," Sam said and with a last look at his wounded friends he headed back out in search of Deeks.

xxxxx

His hands bound tightly behind his back, Callen was marched down the corridor by the two armed guards. He was shoved into a large, empty room and the door was slammed behind him. On the far side of the room, a black curtain was draped over almost the entire length of the wall. Beside the curtain, on the wall, was a red switch. Suddenly, the door to the room opened again and Callen stared in shocked recognition when the other man entered the room. "Janvier…"

"Hello, Agent Callen," Janvier said with a malicious smile. "I told you I would escape from prison. Granted, it took a little bit longer than I anticipated, but the anticipation only makes the reward that much sweeter. Don't you agree?"

Callen could feel his heartbeat speeding up but he didn't allow his emotions to show on his face. "So, you've got me. Guess that's one less Christmas card you'll have to worry about it," he said with a smirk.

"Oh don't worry, Agent Callen. I will still be sending you cards every year. They'll be a reminder of what this day meant and what you lost…"

"What I lost? What are you talking about?" Already he knew that this wouldn't be good. Janvier would want to punish him in the worst way possible.

"You remember how you felt when you lost Agents Renko and Hunter?" Janvier asked, the same smile still on his face. "This is going to feel so much worse than that…so much worse…."

He walked over to the wall switch and flicked it with his fingers. Slowly, the curtain moved across the wall. Callen waited tensely to see what would be revealed. As the curtain opened, he could see that it was not a wall behind it but rather clear glass which showed another room. Trapped behind the glass were Sam, Kensi and Deeks. In front of them, was some kind of an explosive device. Callen turned to Javier as the horror within him grew. "No…you can't," he said. "It's me you want, not them."

"That's where you're wrong," Javier said. "It's you who I want to suffer and I will accomplish that by any means necessary. Just seeing your reaction makes me realize this is the right choice."

His face filled with agony, Callen turned to his teammates standing behind the glass. This was his family and he was about to bring about their demise. Deeks and Kensi were holding hands, both with their heads held high, brave to the end. Sam put his hand over his heart and looked back at Callen meaningfully. "It's not your fault, G," he shouted. "Not your fault."

Those were the last words Sam ever spoke as seconds later the room exploded, reducing its occupants to charred remains.

xxxxx

"Nooooo!" Callen's earth-shattering scream scared the daylights out of Kensi. "No please… You can't all be dead. Kensi, Deeks…Sam…no, please…" Obviously distraught, Callen thrashed about frantically as tears streamed from his eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…please don't be dead…please."

Kensi was distressed as she watched Callen falling to pieces in front of her. "Callen…Callen it's okay. We're safe. We're all fine." Not knowing what else to do, she leaned down and hugged him, trying as best she could to comfort him. She could feel him trembling beneath her touch. She tried to wake him but his fever kept him trapped in the nightmare. "We're not dead. I promise, everything is going to be okay," she said consolingly. She really hoped these nightmares were only a product of him being so sick and not anything he experienced frequently. "Shhh…It's okay. Everything's alright." Finally, after what seemed like an endlessly long time to Kensi, he calmed down and fell into a more peaceful sleep.

"Sam, please just find Deeks and get back here," Kensi whispered. She crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself tightly as a single tear trickled down her cheek.

xxxxx

"Help! Sam! I'm down here!" Deeks leaned his head back against the dirt wall of the pit. He was getting hoarse from shouting. He was beyond frustrated, in a lot of pain and more than a little bit scared. "I don't envy you having died in this place," he said to the animal remains beside him. "Don't think it was a very pleasant way to go. Not to mention slow…" He thought about how long it would take to die down here. He imagined it would be torturous. "I can't say I'm looking forward to it." He wondered if Sam had found Callen or if he was still out there feverishly roaming through the forest. Maybe he was even dead. Sam would probably blame him if he was, but no more than he would blame himself. He couldn't seem to stop the morbid thoughts running through his head. He sighed heavily and wondered if he would ever see Kensi and his friends again.


	6. Chapter 6

This time, when Sam headed out, he decided to go west, hoping to find some way of tracking the younger agent. He smiled widely when he found the first freshly carved X in the bark of a tree. "Good boy, Deeks." He slowly made his way along, every so often having to backtrack as he searched for the X's. Sometimes it took a while, but each time he found one, it gave him renewed hope. He just wished it was faster going. He wanted to get back to Callen.

"Deeks!" Deeks, can you hear me?!" Sam continued yelling every few minutes, then would intently listen, hoping to hear an answering call. Finally, his efforts were rewarded as he heard a very faint response.

"Sam! Help!"

xxxxx

Deeks didn't think he had ever felt more relieved than when he heard Sam calling for him. "Oh thank, God," he said and then began to yell for all he was worth. "Sam! Help! Be careful! I'm down in a hole. I need help, Sam! Help me!"

xxxxx

Sam became exceedingly cautious when he heard Deeks mention the hole. If he fell down too, they were all as good as dead. "Deeks?"

"Down here! I'm down here! Be careful!"

Finally, Sam found the area of arranged brush up ahead and began tossing it aside, breathing a sigh of relief when he found the edge of the pit. "Deeks! Are you hurt?"

Deeks peered up and saw Sam looking down at him. "Oh Sam, you beautiful man, I have never been so happy to see you as I am right now."

"Well, it's good to see you too. Are you hurt?"

"My shoulder's pretty messed up. Other than that, I'm good."

Sam nodded as he mentally cursed that he hadn't thought to bring the rope. "Okay. Deeks, I don't have the rope with me. I'm going to have to head back to get it. Give me an hour or so." Now that he knew Deeks' location, a half hour was his best estimate of how far away he was from camp. "You just hang in there. I'll be back soon."

xxxxx

"I found him," Sam said as he briskly walked into camp. "He fell into a pit." He walked towards the supplies and grabbed the coil of rope and a flashlight which he tested to make sure it worked.

"Is he hurt?" Kensi asked anxiously.

"He hurt his shoulder," Sam replied. "Aside from that, he says he's okay." He was distracted by his partner who was rambling and flailing about. He squatted down next to Callen, opposite Kensi. "How long has this been going on?"

"On and off," said Kensi. "He's been having nightmares."

"Why….why did you kill him? Why didn't you kill me instead?" Callen asked, clearly agitated. "I'm so sorry, Michelle. I wasn't there…I couldn't stop them. I would switch places if I could. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

Sam took his partner's hand, feeling drained as he listened to Callen's rants about Sam's supposed death. "Shh… Come on G…listen to me. I'm fine. Nothing happened to me. Everything's going to be okay."

"I can do that, Sam," Kensi said impatiently. "It's going to get dark soon."

"I still have time. Just give me a minute," Sam snapped, not letting go of Callen's hand. He continued to console his partner, murmuring reassurances. Finally, Callen calmed down and his sleep became easier, the nightmare seemingly gone. "Sorry, Kensi," Sam said as he stood up. "I just couldn't leave him when he was like that."

Kensi shook her head. "No. You were right. Of course you needed to stay…" She hesitated before going on. "He's always dreaming about horrible things happening to us and blaming himself for them…"

"Yeah well , we have a dangerous job… makes sense…"

"I guess so," said Kensi, not sounding convinced.

"He lost his family, Kensi," Sam said sadly. "We're his family now. He feels responsible for us…he doesn't want to lose us too…"

She nodded. "I guess you'd better go," she said softly.

"Deeks is about a half hour away. I'll be back with him as soon as I can."

"Good luck, Sam," Kensi said, watching him as he disappeared back into the woods. At least Deeks had been found, but she really wouldn't feel at ease until he was back and she was holding him in her arms again.

xxxxx

Callen was moving about restlessly in his sleep when suddenly his eyes opened and he focused them on Kensi. He stared at her for a long moment before speaking. "Momma?"

Kensi looked at Callen in surprise, unsure of how to respond to him. Out of anything he could have said to her, she had not expected this. The fever was really doing a job on his mental status. However, she was glad he no longer considered her to be his enemy. She knew she would be unable to stop him if he tried to leave. "Everything's okay," she said softly as she resoaked the bandage that had been on his forehead and used it to gently bathe his face.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking at her with open curiosity.

"I…we're on a camping trip. We found this old plane to stay in."

He looked around, appearing to be impressed. "This is pretty cool." Then he took note of her leg. "What happened to you? Is your leg broken?" He looked upset as he asked the questions.

"I hurt my ankle, but it's not bad," she said with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry."

He nodded but then looked concerned again. "I don't feel so good. I'm really hot. Am I sick?"

"You're a little bit sick," Kensi answered. "But you're going to be alright. I do need you to take some medicine for me though, okay?"

He wrinkled up his nose at that. "I don't like medicine. Does it taste gross?"

Kensi laughed. "No. You just need to swallow some pills but they're very small. I know you can do it."

"Okay," he said nodding.

"Good boy," Kensi responded automatically. "Can you sit up?"

He nodded again, wincing as he did so. "My stomach hurts."

"I know it does," Kensi said sympathetically. "You'll feel better soon though, okay?" She shook four ibuprofen tablets from the bottle into her hand and handed them to him along with a bottle of water. "Take one at a time."

"That's a lot of medicine," he said as he swallowed the first tablet.

"I know it is, but it will make you feel better faster."

He swallowed the other three tablets one by one and then looked at her proudly. "I did it."

"Yes you did," Kensi said. "Good job. Now just try to drink a little bit more water. It will help keep you cooler."

Callen obediently drank a few more swallows of water then handed the bottle back to Kensi. "I'm tired now," he said, his voice only a little above a whisper.

"You should get some sleep. It will make you feel better." Kensi supported his back as he lied back down. "I'll stay right here with you."

"Thank you," Callen said sleepily as his eyes closed. "I love you, momma."

"I love you too," Kensi said as her eyes filled with tears. She felt exceedingly sad for a little boy who had lost his mother and hadn't had her there for him when he had been sick or hurt or just needed a hug. She couldn't help but wonder when life would start to deal him a better hand.

xxxxx

"Hey Deeks, you still down there?"

"You're a funny guy, Sam."

Sam started to fashion a harness the best way he could with what he had, then lowered the rope down to Deeks. He then turned the flashlight on and shined it down on Deeks so he could better see what he was doing. Deeks stepped into the harness and Sam instructed him how to tighten it. It was awkward with the use of only one arm, but he managed to get it done.

"Okay, you good?" Sam asked. He had tied his end of the rope to a nearby tree as an extra safety measure and was getting ready to pull.

"I think so," Deeks said, a little nervously. "I'll try to help you."

"Just make sure you stay in the harness, Deeks. We don't want to risk you taking another fall."

"I will." Deeks agreed with Sam on that point. It wasn't like Sam could hop down and help him if anything went wrong.

It was a struggle, but eventually Sam got Deeks up to the top of the hole. He grabbed him and pulled him onto safe ground. "Thanks, Sam," Deeks said breathlessly. "You really saved my ass."

"Nice eye, Deeks," Sam said, inspecting the younger man. His eye was very swollen and almost completely closed. "You're a mess."

"Courtesy of your partner," Deek stated with a faint smile.

"Kensi told me," Sam said. "Come on. Let's get you out of this harness." Sam deftly went to work and Deeks was free of the rope before he knew it. "You okay to walk?"

"Yeah, my legs are fine."

"Good," Sam said gruffly. "Let's get going. I'll take a look at your shoulder when we're back at camp. We should get there before dark."

"How's Callen doing?" Deeks asked as they headed on their way. He was almost afraid to ask the question. He still felt guilty that Callen had taken off under his watch.

"He's not doing great," Sam admitted. "Still feverish, nightmares, hallucinating…" He gave Deeks a sideward glance. "It's not your fault he got away, you know. I don't blame you."

Deeks shook his head. "I blame me."

"Well don't, Deeks. I understand that you didn't want to hurt him. He really clocked you. Don't worry about it. There wasn't much you could have done."

"So… did you tie him up?" Deeks asked.

"What? No… he wasn't even conscious when I found him. Anyhow, I don't think I could have tied him up…he's already suffering enough…" Sam said, inwardly shuddering at the thought.

"I know, Sam, but what if he regains consciousness and he's still whacked out? Kensi isn't going to be able to stop him if he tries to leave again."

"Well, let's hope that doesn't happen. Anyhow, it's too late to worry about it now." Deeks had given him yet another thing to think about though and Sam picked up the pace a bit at that point. He really hoped that his partner would still be in camp when they returned.

xxxxx

"Deeks!" Kensi was beaming as Deeks and Sam walked back into camp and headed over to the plane.

"Hey, Kens," Deeks approached his girlfriend and gingerly leaned down to hug her. "It sure is good to see you. Are you doing okay?"

"I think it's me who should be asking you that," Kensi said, looking at him apprehensively. "Sam said you hurt your shoulder? How bad is it?"

Deeks shook his head. "It's not that bad…I'll be good as new before you know it."

"Are you Dr. Deeks, now?" Sam asked with a grin.

"You've got to admit that Dr. Deeks has a nice ring to it," Deeks said, smiling. "It would be good for a sitcom or a reality show."

"Definitely a sitcom," Sam said, but then his attention went to Callen who appeared to be sleeping soundly. "How's he been doing, Kensi?"

"He's still pretty out of it."

"He didn't try to hurt you, did he?" Deeks asked, looking troubled.

"No." Kensi shook her head adamantly. "He didn't hurt me. He was very sweet…" She looked at Deeks and then at Sam. "He thought he was still a little boy…and that I was his mother…"

"His mother? Seriously?" Deeks wasn't really sure what to make of that. "Guess he is still pretty out of it…"

"I got him to take some ibuprofen, Sam," Kensi said, "and he drank some water."

"That's good at least," Sam said, but he was finding this latest report about Callen's mental state to be more than a little bit disturbing. He sighed and headed into the demolished passenger cabin. He began searching through the rubble until he found his go bag. He rummaged through the contents and pulled out one of his t-shirts which he folded up and doused with a partly filled bottle of water. "I wish we had ice," he said to Deeks, "but hopefully, this helps a little bit." He ripped Deeks' shirt away from his shoulder and took a look at it for the first time. It was swollen and discolored in varying shades of red and purple. "Can't really tell how bad this injury is," Sam stated as he carefully placed the compress on Deeks' shoulder. He then went through the contents of the first aid kit until he found a sling. "I'll be as gentle as I can," he said as he skillfully moved Deeks' arm into the sling.

Deeks grimaced in pain as Sam manipulated his arm and shoulder, but once it was in position, the pain eased somewhat. "Thanks, Sam…for everything."

"You're welcome, Deeks," Sam replied with a nod. "I'm really glad you're back."

"Not half as glad as I am to be back."

"I'm going to grab some wood and get the fire going again," Sam stated. "You just take it easy." With that he headed off to prepare for nightfall.

xxxxx

The night passed uneventfully. Deeks had a hard time falling asleep because of his shoulder, but he was still just grateful that he had been found. He had a warm fire, a blanket, Kensi and his friends. It was a hell of a lot better than being alone in the pit with the animal skeleton. Sam awoke periodically, but Callen seemed to be peacefully sleeping which was a welcome change.

When Sam awoke, Deeks and Kensi were both already up, having a whispered conversation. "Good morning Deeks, Kensi," Sam said as he sat up and stretched. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Kensi replied.

"Me too," said Deeks.

Sam rolled his eyes but didn't contradict them. "Sure wish we had something more substantial to eat," he said. He was hungry but the fruit cups were gone and now they basically just had chips and protein bars.

"No kidding," Deeks agreed. "It would be great for a food truck to pull up right about now."

"I don't even want to talk about food," Kensi said with a sigh. "I would kill for a chocolate bar."

"Well, you're going to have to settle for a protein bar," Sam stated, tossing one over to her. He then turned towards her partner. "Hey Deeks, take some ibuprofen. It'll help with the pain." Sam had been observing the younger agent for the past several minutes and it was obvious to him that Deeks was experiencing a fair amount of discomfort.

Deeks looked at the bottle of pills in Sam's hand. One hundred tablets and that was if the bottle had been full to begin with, which he wasn't sure about. Callen had been taking anywhere from two to four tablets at a time and Kensi had been taking some tablets as well. The pills weren't going to last long if he started taking them too. "No thanks. I'm good."

Sam looked at Deeks sharply as he thrust the bottle at him. "You're not good, Deeks. Here take a couple."

"Can I talk to you for a minute, in private?" Deeks whispered with a pointed look in Callen's direction as he painstakingly got to his feet.

"What is it, Deeks?" Sam asked after they had walked over towards the plane.

"Sam… we have no idea how long we're going to be here. We need the ibuprofen to help keep Callen's fever down. What happens if we run out before we find a way out of this mess? I can take a little bit of pain. These are much more important for him than they are for me."

"Taking a couple here and there won't matter," Sam protested halfheartedly.

Deeks shook his head emphatically. "You know I'm right, Sam. Trust me…I'm going to feel a lot worse if I take them than if I don't." He refused to be the reason that Callen got worse.

Sam nodded. "Okay, but if you need them…"

"I won't."

"Thank you, Deeks." Sam knew that Callen would be pissed off if he knew about this, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him and could very well help him.

The two men headed back to Callen and Kensi and Sam was surprised to see Callen's eyes on him.

"Hey…" Sam said to Callen, unsure if he even knew who he was. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel better, Sam," Callen replied, easing himself into a sitting position.

"You look better," Sam observed. He was afraid to get his hopes up, realizing how quickly fevers and symptoms could come and go, but he was grateful for anything he could get at this point.

"Can I have some water?" Callen asked.

"Of course, G." Sam quickly grabbed a bottle and handed it to his partner.

Callen took the bottle from Sam but his attention was now on Deeks. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Uh…I got lost and fell in a pit," Deeks answered.

"It looks like you got punched," Callen stated.

Deeks shrugged. "Might look like that, but I fell in a pit. I'd still be there now if your partner hadn't rescued me."

"Yeah, well Sam's pretty good at rescuing people," Callen said before taking a long drink of water and flashing a smile at his partner which Sam returned.

"Mind if I take your temperature, G?" Sam figured now was the time to ask while Callen seemed to be in a relatively good mood.

"Okay." Callen obediently put the thermometer under his tongue and glanced at it after it beeped before handing it off to Sam.

"100.3," Sam said with a smile. "That's good, G. That's really good." Granted, it was still a fever, but his temperature was much lower than it had been. He just hoped they could keep it down. "Here," he said, handing Callen the bottle of ibuprofen. "Take two for now. Let's try to keep ahead of it."

Callen took the tablets and then gave Sam a questioning look. "So… what's been going on besides Deeks falling into a pit?" he asked. "I take it we're nowhere closer to getting rescued?"

"No." Sam shook his head. "I'm actually going to head out now and see if I can find any open areas where we could be spotted. You need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm good," Callen answered. He wished he was well enough to accompany his partner. He didn't like being stuck at camp feeling like an invalid. "Be careful, Sam."

"I will. You just rest and take it easy, G," Sam said, patting his shoulder. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

Callen nodded as Sam said his goodbyes to Deeks and Kensi and watched as his partner went off into the woods once again.

xxxxx

Sam made his way through the woods, exploring further than he had on other such excursions. His brain was on overload as he walked. He thought about his family, about Callen's condition, about Kensi and Deeks and their injuries and the fact that they might never be found. He was trying hard to keep his spirits up, as well as the spirits of his teammates, but truth be told, it was difficult. It wasn't easy to keep a positive spin on things when they weren't catching any kind of a break at all except for broken bones. He had just decided that maybe it was time to head back when he saw it, in his eyes, the most beautiful lake and stretch of open beach that he had ever seen.

"Guess maybe we caught a break after all," he said to himself with a smile.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey guys, I have good news," Sam stated as he walked back into camp, a smile on his face.

"The food truck came after all?" Deeks asked.

"What is it, Sam?" Kensi asked after giving Deeks a mock punch on his good arm.

"I found a lake and a good stretch of sand as well," Sam said. "It's a nice, big, open area. There's plenty of room for us to set up some good signals and for a helicopter to land."

"Hey that's great!" Deeks said enthusiastically. "Maybe now someone will spot us."

"That's the plan."

"How far is it?" Kensi asked.

"It's not too far," Sam said, not wanting to discourage anyone. His eyes went to his partner and he was disappointed to see he was asleep again. He knew it was probably the best thing for him, but the fact that he needed to sleep so much wasn't good. It definitely wasn't Callen. "So…has he been sleeping the whole time I've been gone?"

Deeks shook his head. "No. He was awake for a little while."

"Did he eat anything?"

Deeks and Kensi exchanged uneasy glances and neither of them answered the question.

"So I guess that's a no," Sam said.

"He probably doesn't have much of an appetite, Sam," Kensi said softly.

"I know that, but he still needs to eat." Now that he was thinking about it, Sam couldn't remember the last time he had seen his partner eat anything.

Three pairs of eyes all looked in Callen's direction as he moaned softly and moved restlessly in his sleep. "I'm going to bring some supplies over to the beach," Sam said. He knew there was no way they could move themselves and supplies in one trip. "Probably better for G to get some more rest before we go anyway." He hoped his partner was up for the walk. It wasn't too far, but it was far enough and it wouldn't be an easy trek for him. He grabbed the canvas bag and began refilling it with the supplies that were strewn about on the ground.

xxxxx

"Sam's good mood didn't last very long," Deeks said quietly after the man had headed off to the beach, well loaded with supplies.

"He's worried," Kensi said. "You can't blame him."

"Yeah, I know," said Deeks, running his hand through his hair in obvious frustration. "I wish I hadn't been so stupid, falling into that damn pit."

"You weren't stupid, Deeks," Kensi said. "It was a trap, set for a reason. How were you supposed to know?"

"It was a trap set for animals," Deeks said. "I should have been more aware. If I had been, I could be of more help to Sam." He felt useless now and he hated it.

"Deeks, please don't beat yourself up over this," Kensi pleaded. "We have so many more important things to worry about. It just doesn't help."

"I know," Deeks said, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. In his head, he knew that what Kensi was saying was true. It was just trying to get the rest of him to believe it that was the problem.

xxxxx

Sam came back feeling a little bit better. He had decided to take advantage of the alone time at the lake and had gone for a swim. It had been a bit chilly, but he felt better and definitely cleaner. It had helped to clear his head. "How are you guys doing?" he asked

"We're good, Sam," Deeks said.

Sam nodded. "The water isn't too cold if you decide to take a dip," Sam said. "You want me to go grab some of your clothes from the plane?" He knew he wanted to change into something clean. He hadn't liked putting his filthy clothes back on after being in the water.

"I can help you," said Deeks as he got to his feet.

Sam nodded. "Okay, thanks."

"We'll just take one bag," Sam said as he grabbed his. He stripped off the Henley he was wearing, took some fresh items from the bag and quickly changed. In the meantime, Deeks located his and Kensi's bags and took a few items of clothing from each and brought them over to Sam who was searching for Callen's bag, which he quickly found. They then stuffed the clothing into Sam's bag and zipped it up.

"I can carry it," Deeks said as he grabbed the bag.

"Its okay, Deeks," Sam said. "Kensi can just hold it."

"Come on, Sam," Deeks said. "You don't have to keep playing Superman. I know you're strong, but it's still not easy to carry a person through the forest. Let me do this. I'm just sorry I can't help you with Kensi or Callen."

"Don't worry about me, Deeks," Sam said. "I'm doing just fine." He did relent though and allowed Deeks to take the bag. Kensi could hold a few bottles of water for the walk. He took one last look around the plane. "I guess we're good for now. I can always come back if I need to. Come on…I'm going to go wake up G."

xxxxx

"You think you're going to be able to make it?" Sam's expression was worried as he spoke to Callen. There really was no other way. Now that Deeks had become a member of the injured agent club, Callen needed to do this.

"I'm good, Sam… I can walk," Callen answered smoothly. It was time to play a character. He needed to be tough and strong and in control. He could do that. It was what he did. Besides, even if Kensi wasn't hurt, there was no way in hell he was going to let Sam carry him as long as he was conscious.

"Okay…" Sam had his doubts but he had to carry Kensi. "Let's get going…"

xxxxx

Callen focused his attention on putting one foot in front of the other and staying upright. He was sweating profusely and his legs felt like rubber. It seemed that his body was betraying him in a thousand different ways. He didn't really know how long they had been walking for, but he was pretty sure it was a shorter amount of time than it seemed. He was beyond relieved when Sam called out for them to take a break and he gratefully sank to the ground.

Sam gently put Kensi down and looked at the ragtag group of agents. Callen looked like he was on his last legs and Kensi and Deeks were in obvious pain. He made his way to his partner and handed him a bottle of water. "You hanging in there, G?" he asked, trying to mask his concern.

"I'm good." Callen hesitated just briefly enough for Sam to know that he was anything but good.

"It's not too much further," Sam stated, giving him an encouraging pat on his shoulder.

Callen nodded, inwardly hoping he would have the stamina to make it the rest of the way. He drank some water and hoped his definition of not too much further didn't differ too drastically from Sam's.

xxxxx

"Hey, Kensi." Deeks tried to smile but it was more of a grimace as he sat down beside her.

"You really ought to take some ibuprofen for your shoulder," Kensi whispered looking at him in concern.

Deeks raised an eyebrow. "I could say the same to you." After Kensi had figured out what Deeks was doing, she had stopped taking the pills as well.

Kensi shook her head. "Sam's carrying me everywhere. It's not that bad for me."

"Well, I'm good too," Deeks responded.

She rolled her eyes but let the matter drop as she looked over at Sam. "How much farther is it?" she asked. She felt awful that Sam was being forced to carry her. He never complained yet she knew it couldn't be easy for him. She also knew that if they did manage to get out of this mess, it would all be because of him. He had been amazing during this crisis.

"We should be there soon," Sam said vaguely. It was hard to tell exactly how much longer it would be. When he had found the location by himself, he had been moving along a lot faster than he was now. He looked at Callen whose eyes had closed and he appeared to be dozing once again. Sam tentatively reached out and placed his hand on his forehead. Callen's eyes immediately popped open and he swatted Sam's hand away.

"I'm fine, Sam."

Sam didn't say anything but he noted the telltale flush on G's cheeks and knew his temperature was rising again. He glanced at his watch and saw that he was about due to take some more ibuprofen. He shook the tablets into his hand and silently handed them to his partner. "Thanks." Callen put the tablets into his mouth and downed them with a swallow of water.

"We should get going," Sam said as he stood up. He went over to Deeks and spoke softly. "Do you mind walking with G?" he asked softly.

Deeks nodded. "No problem, Sam." He watched as Callen slowly stood up then he casually positioned himself beside him, keeping his good arm on the side of the agent. Sam picked up Kensi and the group once again started on their way.

xxxxx

Callen pretty much collapsed in a heap when they finally reached the lake.

"You okay, G?" Sam asked as he settled Kensi on the ground and Deeks sat down next to his partner.

"Yeah," Callen answered. He was clearly exhausted though as he sat silently, his eyes on the lake.

"This is beautiful, Sam," Deeks' eyes sparkled as he looked out at the water. Here, one could almost pretend that everything was okay. At least they didn't have the remains of the plane as a constant reminder of what had taken place.

"I'm going to collect some firewood," Sam said. "We need to make signal fires." Sam could see his partner was getting worse again. He had realized this was likely to happen, but it was still very disheartening.

"I'm going to help him, Kensi," Deeks said, getting to his feet. He still had one usable arm. He could at least do this. He went over to where Sam was gathering wood and started to do the same.

"Thanks, Deeks." Sam gave the younger man a grateful smile. Truth be told, he was pretty damn tired and he knew his muscles would be sore the following day. They built three fires in the shape of a triangle, which was a known distress sign. Sam could only hope they would be spotted very soon.

xxxxx

"Hey G. How about a protein bar?" Sam asked as he casually held it out towards his partner.

"Thanks." Callen said with false enthusiasm. He took the bar, ripped open the wrapper and took a small bite. It couldn't have been any more unappealing than if he was eating sandpaper, but he knew he needed to try to eat to keep his waning strength up. He also couldn't stand to see the constant look of concern in Sam's eyes whenever he looked at him. He forced himself to chew, swallow and repeat. Finally, after what had been quite a struggle on his part, Callen finished eating the bar. It felt like a lump of lead in his stomach. He just hoped he could keep it down.

Sam appreciated Callen's effort to eat but decided not to make a huge deal out of it. He knew babying him would only serve to irk his partner. "So, G…"

Callen met his partner's eyes, already suspecting what he was going to say.

"Best way to try to keep that nasty infection under control is to change the packing at least once a day…"

To his credit, Callen managed to keep his face expressionless as he nodded. "Okay."

Sam gave Callen a long look. He hated having to hurt him but it was a necessary evil. "No time like the present, I guess…You ready?"

Callen nodded as he stretched out on the ground. "Sure, Sam…Do what you have to do…"

xxxxx

Callen made a concerted attempt not to react as Sam changed the packing on his wound. He had been so out of it lately, but was pretty sure he had been the cause of a fair amount of difficulty for his partner and the others. He needed to start being more of a help than a hindrance.

"You good?" Sam asked as he finished up and looked worriedly at Callen.

"Yeah," Callen nodded. "I'm good. Thanks, Sam."

"You're welcome. You should rest now, G."

"Okay." It seemed to Callen that all he did was rest but he knew he wasn't going to be of much usefulness until he regained some of his strength. He seemed to be constantly exhausted and in pain. Deciding it didn't really help to fight the overwhelming tiredness, he allowed his eyes to close and quickly drifted off.

"How is he?" Kensi asked as both she and Deeks turned their eyes toward Sam.

"Well, he still knows who we are at least, so that's a plus," Sam answered with a shrug. "I know he's hiding how he really feels, but that seems to be par for the course with everyone." He looked back at the two agents pointedly.

"I'm okay, Sam," Kensi stated.

"Me too," said Deeks.

"Don't even." Sam shook his head. "All I ask is if either of you starts to get any kind of worsening symptoms, would you please tell me? I understand you're trying to help G, but you need to be sensible about it as well. This situation is bad enough as it is. We don't need to be making it worse.

The two younger agents both nodded, their eyes serious.

"Good." Sam knew that he could trust them.

They sat in silence for a few long minutes until Sam turned his attention to Kensi who was staring longingly out at the lake. "You want to take a dip, Kensi?" Sam asked.

"You don't mind?" Kensi asked, her expression brightening.

"Of course not," Sam said, eager to do anything that would make their plight a little more bearable. "Might help you feel better."

Deeks immediately began riffling through Sam's bag to get them each something clean to wear, a wide grin on his face. He had been dying to get into the water, but since he couldn't carry Kensi, he hadn't broached the subject. He bundled up the clothes into a blanket and looked at Sam expectantly. "I'm all set."

Sam removed his shoes and rolled up his pants, then removed the pillow splint from Kensi's leg. "Okay, Kensi, are you ready?"

Kensi nodded eagerly and Sam lifted her up into his arms. The trio then headed down to the edge of the lake. Sam walked out into the water and gently put Kensi down when it was deep enough for her to float. "Ooh, It's cold," she said as she wrapped her arms around Deeks' waist. "But it feels so good just to be able to move around. I feel so light and free." She laughed and playfully swam around Deeks.

"My own personal little mermaid," Deeks said with a grin.

"Okay, I'm going to leave you guys," Sam said, smiling. At least he had made them feel a little bit better. "Just let me know when you want me to come and get you. Have fun."

"Thanks, Sam," Kensi said, giving him an appreciative look.

"Any time, Kensi."

xxxxx

"So… Deeks smiled flirtatiously and watched her as she glided gracefully through the water. "This is really nice, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's nice but no fooling around. Sam might be watching."

Deeks' smile quickly turned to a look of disappointment. "Oh come on, Kensi. Sam left us alone here. He's not going to be watching us."

Kensi shook her head, a look of amusement on her face. "Sorry Deeks. I just want to try to get cleaned up."

"Kensi, you're killing me here."

"I think you'll survive," Kensi said, laughing. She leaned her head back in the water with a contented sigh. "This is so much better than just sitting around waiting to be carried from one place to another."

"Yeah, it is pretty nice." Deeks nodded in agreement, his eyes still on her, thinking how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her in his life.

xxxxx

Sam headed back to the campsite and was surprised to see his partner sitting up and watching Deeks and Kensi who were happily frolicking in the water.

"Hey, G," Sam said, unfolding his pants legs which were drenched in spite of his attempt to keep them dry.

"Hey, Sam."

"You alright?" Sam asked, giving Callen an apprehensive look. "You didn't sleep for very long…"

Callen nodded but didn't elaborate. He really didn't think Sam needed to hear about how lousy he was feeling. It wasn't like he could do anything about it. "How's the water?" he asked.

"It's not too bad," Sam said. "You want to go down there? You just have to be careful not to get your wound wet…"

"Maybe later…after they come back…"

"G, you know they won't mind if we go down there…"

"Later, Sam," Callen said, looking troubled.

"Okay…whatever you say." Sam looked at his partner thoughtfully, wishing he could think of some way to get his spirits up.

"Have you heard any planes?" Callen asked suddenly as he turned his head and fixed his gaze on Sam.

"What?"

"Planes, Sam. Have you heard a single plane since we've crashed?" Callen spoke quickly, obviously agitated. "I mean, I know I've been out of it so maybe I missed it but I haven't heard them. Have you? Even if they couldn't spot us because of the trees, we sure as hell would have heard a plane if one flew anywhere in this vicinity."

Sam stared back at Callen as the realization sunk in. He was right. He hadn't heard a single plane since the crash.

"Don't you see?" Callen asked, his expression grim. "Andy knew what he was doing. He flew us off course to God knows where. He wanted to make sure we wouldn't be found. It doesn't matter that you found this beach, Sam. No one's ever going to find us here…"

"You don't know that, G," Sam said, shaking his head. He refused to believe that was true. "Maybe we're just on a route that isn't flown as often as other routes. Someone will find us. We have to believe that."

"I hope you're right, Sam," Callen replied bleakly as an involuntary shudder ran through him. Maybe he would feel differently if he wasn't hurt so badly but his thoughts were becoming darker and he couldn't seem to break free of them. "I really hope you're right…"


	8. Chapter 8

Callen had waded out into the water to his thighs and was using a piece of gauze to bathe himself as well as he could. He longed to just submerge his entire body in the water, but he followed Sam's instructions to the letter and didn't allow the wound to get wet. Sam had done so much for him. The least he owed his partner was to do as he asked and make every attempt to fight the infection which had invaded his body.

xxxxx

While Callen was washing up in the lake, Sam was reapplying the pillow splint to Kensi's ankle. "So did you enjoy yourself?" Sam asked, smiling at her.

Freshly bathed and wearing clean clothes, Kensi nodded and returned Sam's smile. "It was perfect, Sam. I feel so much better."

"That's good," Sam replied. He was pleased at how well Kensi was holding up mentally. His gaze drifted out to where Callen was and he was satisfied that he appeared to be doing what he had requested. He then looked over at Deeks whose expression was a combination of pain and frustration as he was trying unsuccessfully to take off his wet shirt. He shook his head and went over to the younger man. "Deeks, stop. Let me help you."

"I can do it," Deeks insisted stubbornly, but his efforts were proving to be futile and he finally stood still.

"You need to be careful," Sam said patiently as he very gently maneuvered Deeks' arm and removed his shirt. "We have no idea how badly injured your shoulder is. You don't want to make it worse." Especially when you're not taking any pain killers for it, he added mentally.

"Its fine, Sam," Deeks said, but the pallor of his skin and the look in his eyes contradicted his words.

Sam sighed as he picked up Deeks' clean shirt from the ground and cautiously helped him to put it on, then positioned his arm back in the sling. "Better?"

Deeks nodded. "Yes…thank you, Sam."

"No problem. You take it easy, Deeks."

xxxxx

Callen drank some water and tried not to think about the nausea he was feeling. Instead, he focused on watching Sam who was carving a point on the end of a stick. "Is that a spear you're making, Sam?" he asked.

Sam nodded as he turned toward Callen, glad to see him taking an interest in something. "Yeah, it's getting kind of late now, but tomorrow I'm going to try to catch some fish so we can have a decent meal."

"That would be tremendous," Deeks said, breaking into the conversation. "You think you can do it?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess we'll find out."

"I'm pretty sure if there are fish out there, that Sam will be able to catch them," Kensi said with a note of certainty in her voice.

Callen's attention drifted once Sam mentioned catching fish to eat. Just the thought of it increased his queasiness. He sighed to himself and decided to turn in for the night. There wasn't much else to do anyways. "I'm going to get some sleep," he said. "Good night, guys."

"Good night, Callen," said Kensi and Deeks.

"Good night, G." Sam's eyes followed Callen as he moved in closer to one of the fires, curled up in a blanket and settled down for the night. He really wished his partner would start feeling better. "How about some delicious protein bars for dinner?" Sam suggested to the two younger agents who both nodded. Sam put the spear aside, got the protein bars and handed them to Kensi and Deeks. They then ate a mostly silent dinner by the light of the moon and signal fires.

xxxx

When he awoke the following morning, Callen immediately knew that he had taken a turn for the worse. The pain in his stomach had intensified dramatically and he felt extremely nauseous. He was also freezing and he couldn't stop shivering. He pulled the blanket tighter around his body and tried not to call attention to himself.

xxxxx

Sam squatted at the edge of the lake as he filled the empty plastic container with water. The sun was just rising and the sky was a kaleidoscope of red, orange and yellowish hues. Sam couldn't help but gaze at it for a few moments and think that if they weren't in such dire straits that this would actually be a peaceful and beautiful place to spend some time. Under their present circumstances though, it was anything but. He walked back to the others and put some firewood on the fires then put a water purification tablet into the water container. He then settled down on the ground by Callen. Kensi and Deeks were still asleep. Kensi's head was resting on Deeks' chest and he had his good arm protectively wrapped around her. Sam's attention then went to Callen and he could feel his stomach sink when he saw the way he was huddled under the blanket, laying on his side with his back to Sam. "G?"

When he heard Sam speak, Callen's first thought was to try to control his shivering and pretend he was still asleep. He couldn't even begin to pull it off though. He carefully turned onto his back and looked at his partner. "Good morning, Sam…"

Inwardly Sam cursed. He had let his hopes go up that G had been holding his own, but that obviously was not the case. "Not doing so good, are you?"

Callen shook his head, deciding just to be truthful. It was the least he owed his partner. "No…the pain's gotten worse…feel really sick to my stomach…"

Sam fumbled through the first aid kit and pulled out the thermometer which he handed to his partner. Callen took it and put it in his mouth with a sigh. He was so sick of being sick. When it beeped he handed it to Sam without looking at it.

"102.5," Sam stated. He then handed Callen some ibuprofen and water which he quickly swallowed.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Callen hesitated and considered saying no but he knew that would just make Sam feel bad so he finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Knock yourself out."

Sam carefully removed the gauze and tape which loosely covered the wound. What he saw did not look good. The inflamed area seemed to have spread and he didn't want to think about whatever was festering inside G's body. His partner's eyes were closed and his fists were clenched in anticipation of whatever Sam was going to do to him. Every time he had to do this, it was becoming more difficult. He was just causing him more pain and it didn't seem to be helping in terms of the infection. "Hey G?"

"Just do it, Sam."

Sam changed the packing as quickly as he could and felt horrible the entire time. He felt like he was kicking a wounded puppy. G didn't really seem to be reacting to what he was doing which was good on one hand, but on the other hand Sam knew it was a very bad sign. When he finished, Callen looked to be pretty out of it and was only semi-conscious. Sam turned away from his partner and saw Deeks staring at him.

"You alright, Sam?" Deeks whispered. "Is Callen worse again?"

Sam didn't answer. Instead, he got to his feet and walked the short distance down to the water's edge. Deeks trailed after him.

"I can't help him," Sam stated as he stared out at the water. His voice was calm but the emotion in his eyes showed his true state. "I can't save him," he whispered.

"What?" Deeks shook his head. "No, Sam…You don't know that. You can't give up on him."

Sam sighed deeply. "Except for Michelle and my kids, he's the most important person in the world to me, Deeks. I would never give up on him. I just…I thought he was improving, but he's not. He's just going downhill. He's in a lot of pain and he's weakening. I'm not helping him, Deeks. I don't know what more I can do."

"He knows you're doing everything possible for him…"

Sam's eyes flashed angrily. "It's not enough. He needs to be in a hospital with a bed and doctors and antibiotics, not out here in the middle of nowhere."

"And none of that is your fault. You can't pull a hospital out of thin air, Sam."

"I know that."

"We just have to hope that someone finds us…"

"Before it's too late," Sam finished for him.

xxxxx

"Uncle Callen? Why did you let my daddy die?" Kamran stared up at G, her innocent eyes looking so sad and hurt.

"I…I'm so sorry, Kamran," he said. "I would have done anything to save your daddy. I just couldn't."

"Our dad would have given his life for you," Aiden said accusingly. "It's too bad his partner couldn't have done the same." He practically spat out the word partner and the look in his eyes was pure hatred. "I thought you cared about our family like we were your own. Obviously I was wrong."

"I do care about your family, Aiden. I love you guys," Callen said.

"You sure as hell have a funny way of showing it. You will never have a partner who cares about you the way our dad did. He loved you like a brother. I hope your new partner despises you. I hope he turns his back on you someday and you can lie there dying and remembering how it was your fault that our dad is dead." With that, Aiden took Kamran by the hand and the two turned their backs and walked away from Callen.

xxxxx

Callen woke up with a start, his breathing fast and heavy. "Hey man, you okay?" Deeks asked, giving Callen a worried look.

"Where's Sam?" Callen asked, looking around anxiously, his heartbeat speeding up when he didn't find him.

"He went to try to catch some fish." Deeks pointed a short distance away and Callen could see Sam with his spear, standing in the water. "Do you need him?" Deeks asked.

Callen shook his head. "No…no it's fine. I was just wondering where he was." Once he had ensured Sam's safety, he managed to calm himself down although he was still troubled by the dream.

xxxxx

"We're actually going to have something decent for lunch," Sam called out as he walked back into camp carrying two fish.

"Great job, Sam," Kensi said.

"Nice," Deeks said admiringly. "You actually did it."

"Did you doubt I would?" Sam asked with a smirk. "Kensi didn't doubt me." He put the fish down and started searching through the canvas bag, hoping to find a pan of some sort. He didn't have any luck though. "Guess we'll be doing some hot stone cooking. Hey, Deeks?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to clean this fish. Do you want to try to find some stones for me and some more brush and sticks to build another fire?"

"Another fire?" Deeks asked in confusion. Four fires seemed like overkill to him. "Can't we just cook on one of the ones we already have?"

Sam shook his head. "We're not going to keep this one lit. It's only to heat up the stones you're going to gather and then we're going to cook the fish on the stones. Try to find non-porous stones, if you can, harder stones, not soft ones and don't get ones with lots of holes in them."

Deeks nodded. "Okay, Sam. You're the expert." He walked off and began to gather brush and sticks, a task he finished quickly. He then returned to camp to find that Kensi had already been searching and digging in the sand and had gathered a nice stockpile of stones already. "Doing my job for me, Agent Blye?" Deeks joked.

"I figured this was the least I could do," Kensi said, smiling up at Deeks, happy that she had been able to contribute in some small way.

"Now we're going to make a bed with the stones," Sam explained to Kensi and Deeks, "and then build the fire on top of it. We'll let the fire burn for an hour or so to get the stones good and hot."

"And then cook the fish on the stones?" Deeks asked.

"That's right," said Sam. "And then we're going to have some nice hot fish for lunch."

"I can hardly wait," Deeks said and just at that moment his stomach rumbled as if to illustrate the point.

"I guess you can't," Kensi said, giggling.

Sam smiled too as he worked on building the fire, but then his gaze shifted to Callen and his smile disappeared. He wondered if he'd be able to coax his partner to eat something.

"I think he had another nightmare when you were gone," Deeks told Sam.

"Well that can happen when you're as sick as he is," Sam snapped.

Deeks nodded calmly. "Yes, I understand that…I just thought you'd want to know."

Sam sighed. "You're right, Deeks. I do want to know. I'm sorry…I just…" he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"No problem, Sam," Deeks said, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I understand."

Xxxxx

Hetty was absolutely beside herself. Her team seemed to have vanished into thin air. The more time that went by, the more worried she became. "Owen? Surely there is more that can be done to find them."

Owen shook his head. "They're doing everything they can, Henrietta. There are only so many people they can put on this."

"You can't call in any favors?" Hetty asked her eyes piercing as she stared at him. She felt helpless in this situation and she did not do helpless well. "There's always more that can be done. You just need to find the right people to do it."

"Trust me. The right people are on this. We have to be patient."

"That's easy for you to say, Owen. Do you even care if they're found?"

Owen's eyes darkened with fury. "That was a low blow. Just because I don't think of myself as their mother, doesn't mean I don't care, Henrietta."

"I do not think of myself as their mother," she protested halfheartedly. She sighed softly, knowing that he did care about them. "I apologize, Owen. Of course you want them to be found." She then turned her attention to Eric and Nell who were pretending not to listen, but very obviously were. "Mr. Beale? Have you and Miss Jones discovered anything of interest?"

Eric shook his head. He kept relaying the same information over and over again. "Sorry Hetty, either their phones are dead or out of range. There's not really anything we can determine from our end. "

"I understand, Mr. Beale. Please keep me apprised of any developments." With that, she and Owen left Ops.

Nell turned towards Eric after they had left. "Eric? Do you think they'll find them alive?" she asked, a forlorn expression on her face.

"I do," Eric said as he pulled Nell toward him and gave her a comforting embrace. "They're smart and strong, Nell. I think they'll be home safe very soon."


	9. Chapter 9

"That smells so good," Kensi said, inhaling deeply as she eagerly waited for the fish to be fully cooked.

"It really does." Deeks nodded in agreement. He couldn't remember the last time he had anticipated a meal as much as this one, except maybe for Thanksgiving dinners.

Sam chuckled. "I hope you guys aren't disappointed. "I'm not sure how great this is going to be."

"It doesn't matter, Sam," Kensi said, putting her hand lightly on his arm. "It's going to be much better than anything we've had to eat since the crash. We're going to love it."

Sam nodded and then made his way over to his partner. He had inwardly debated just allowing him to sleep, but then had decided to at least make the attempt to get him to eat. "Hey G?" he said, shaking Callen's shoulder gently.

Callen struggled to open his eyes and it took a few moments for him to fully orient himself. "What's up, Sam?" he asked.

"I think the fish is ready. You feel like eating?"

Callen's stomach flip flopped at the thought of it, but he nodded. "Okay."

Sam smiled. "We don't have any plates but we have the plastic forks so you can just take as much as you want," he said, handing his partner a fork.

"Thanks," Callen said as he took the fork. He then slowly got up off the ground and made his way over to join the others.

"Just dig in guys," Sam said as he gave forks to Kensi and Deeks.

Deeks was eager to take a forkful but he deferred to Kensi. "Ladies first."

"Why, thank you, Deeks." Kensi smiled and put her fork into the fish, coming away with a flaky chunk which she immediately put into her mouth. "Mmm…." She said appreciatively. "It's really good, Sam."

Right after Kensi had eaten some, Deeks took a generous helping of fish and put it in his mouth. "Oh Sam, you have outdone yourself. This is superb."

"Glad you like it," Sam said, a pleased smile on his face.

Callen poked his fork into the fish and came away with a small portion which he put into his mouth. "It's delicious, Sam," he said, feigning enthusiasm. It's not that it wasn't good, he just didn't really feel like eating anything. He just didn't have an appetite. On his fourth mouthful of fish, he realized it wasn't going to stay down. He got to his feet as fast as he could, and fighting dizziness, made it a fair distance away from the others before he sank to his knees and got violently ill. There was basically nothing in his stomach, so it was mostly painful dry heaves. Finally, it was over. He clutched his stomach and took deep breaths as he tried to compose himself. He didn't even realize Sam was behind him until he felt his supportive hand on his shoulder.

"I'm alright, Sam," he said softly as he struggled to his feet. His rubbery legs contradicted his words though as they gave out and Sam grabbed him to keep him from hitting the ground.

"I've got you, G," Sam said as he steadied Callen. "Come on…you should get some rest."

Callen didn't protest . He allowed Sam to lead him over to the area where he slept, studiously avoiding the concerned eyes of Kensi and Deeks. "I'm sorry, Sam," he said as he tried to get comfortable under the blanket.

"Sorry?" Sam asked, clearly confused. "Why are you sorry?"

"I should have just told you I wasn't hungry."

"I shouldn't have even asked you," Sam said quietly, wishing he had just let him sleep. "I knew you didn't want to eat, G. I was just trying to keep your strength up…" For all he knew, his partner shouldn't even be eating. The knife wound was in Callen's stomach. Who knew what kind of damage had been done?

"I know you're just trying to help me, Sam," Callen said. He was just pretty sure there wasn't anything else Sam could do for him though. He sighed softly, his expression despondent. "I really wish someone would find us."

"So do I, G," Sam said. "Believe me, so do I…"

xxxxx

Kensi and Deeks sat in silence, the remainder of the fish going untouched as it slowly cooled.

"You should eat, Kensi," Deeks finally said.

Kensi shook her head. "I've had enough." She shifted her position and cringed as a sharp pain radiated from her ankle up her leg.

Deeks looked at her, concern clearly written all over his face. "You should take some ibuprofen…I know it won't help much, but at least it might take the edge off a little bit."

"Really, Deeks?" Kensi asked, a touch of exasperation in her voice. "I haven't seen you take any."

Deeks stared back at her. "I don't have any broken bones."

"You don't even know that. You don't have any idea what's wrong with your shoulder…You're not a doctor. Do you think I can't take pain because I'm a girl? Is that it?"

Deeks shook his head. "Of course that's not it. You're one of the toughest people I've ever met. I know you can take pain, Kensi. I just don't like watching you go through it. Can't I just be concerned because I love you?"

Kensi's eyes filled with tears as she nodded. "Yes…I'm sorry, Deeks," she said, leaning into him as he wrapped his uninjured arm around her. "I'm just so worried and I'm really scared for Callen. If help doesn't come soon…"

"I know," Deeks said, tightening his grasp on her. "I'm scared for him too."

They sat like that for a few minutes, just holding each other. Then Deeks broke the silence. "Kensi?" he asked softly. "Just how bad is your ankle? Total honesty…"

She sighed softly and didn't answer him at first. Then she spoke. "I think it might be pretty messed up," she admitted. "It hurts a lot."

"I'm sorry, baby," Deeks said, kissing the top of her head. "I hate that you're having to go through this."

"You're hurt too."

"I don't think it's anything compared to what you're going through," Deeks said. "And it definitely doesn't compare to what Callen is going through."

"Hey, you guys didn't eat much," Sam interrupted their conversation as he took a seat on the ground beside them.

"We had enough," Deeks replied. "How is he?"

"He's sleeping," Sam said. He absently speared a piece of fish with a fork, but ended up putting it aside.

"Callen would want you to eat, Sam," Kensi urged gently.

Sam nodded but still made no move to eat the fish. He just couldn't seem to do it. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence he got to his feet. "I'm going to get some sleep. See you guys in the morning."

"Good night, Sam," Kensi said.

"Good night," said Deeks.

They watched as Sam headed back to Callen and settled down near his partner.

"Guess we might as well do the same," Deeks said to Kensi. He retrieved a blanket for them and Kensi pulled the blanket over them and cuddled against him. "I love you, Deeks," she said, kissing him and brushing some of the hair away from his face with her fingers.

"I love you too, Kens," Deeks replied.

xxxxx

Callen did not sleep well. He spent the night being plagued by pain and nightmares and each time he woke up, Sam's eyes always seemed to be on him. He knew he needed to talk to his partner. He had a feeling his time was growing short. "Sam? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Callen had been watching the sun rise and trying to figure out how to broach this difficult subject with Sam. Finally, he decided the direct approach was best.

Sam looked at his partner attentively. "What's up?"

Callen hesitantly began to speak. "Well…I just wanted to say…if this all goes bad…"

"Stop right there," Sam interrupted, shaking his head. "This isn't going to go bad. Someone is going to find us. We're going to get out of this. You're going to get out of this."

"Please, Sam?" Callen pleaded softly.

"You giving up on me, G?" Sam asked quietly, his eyes intense as he looked back at his partner.

Callen shook his head. "I'm not giving up. Just let me say this."

Sam sighed heavily and nodded. He mentally noted that G looked nervous, reminiscent of when he played jumpy characters while undercover, but this time Sam knew it was not an act. "Alright, go ahead. I'm listening."

Callen took a deep breath. The edge of the blanket was twisted up in his hands as he fidgeted with it. This wasn't easy to say but he needed to say it. The nightmares he had been having had convinced him just how important it was. He didn't want to leave things unsaid.

"You're my brother, Sam," he began, speaking slowly, his blue eyes filled with emotion. "I grew up with no one to call family and I never imagined that I would find one later in life. I couldn't be closer to you if we had been born brothers. I appreciate how you've always had my back and how you allowed your family to become mine. Anyhow…I just wanted to let you know that…just in case..."

"G…" Sam started but Callen interrupted.

"And Sam…I don't want you to blame yourself, if this does go bad…You've gone well beyond the call of duty since the crash. You've done everything possible to try to save us. No one could have done more."

"You mean the way you've been blaming yourself in all those nightmares you've been having?" Sam asked quietly.

Callen's eyes widened slightly as he shook his head. "What makes you think that?"

"Just things you've been saying in your sleep. Guilt manifests itself in all kinds of ways, G."

"I don't have guilt, Sam," Callen responded, looking very uncomfortable.

Sam nodded slowly. "Well that's good if it's true, G… you shouldn't…none of this is your fault."

"I know that." Callen's answer lacked conviction. Inwardly, he could think of a lot of reasons why this was his fault. Andy hadn't been acting like himself and yet he hadn't been suspicious. Andy was not a trained agent, yet Callen had allowed him to get the upper hand and there was no excuse for it. He also knew that none of this would have happened to begin with if it wasn't for him. He was the reason.

"G…"

Callen came out of his reverie and looked back at Sam whose hand was now firmly on his shoulder.

"G. I think you know I feel the same way," Sam said. "I love you…and my family loves you…Michelle, Kamran and Aiden. You're a part of our lives…a very important part. We would be really broken up if anything were to happen to you."

"Sam…"

Sam shook his head. "My turn to speak now…You said I've gone beyond the call of duty to save you? Well, you'd better damn not let all my hard work go to waste. You will not give up, G…It's simply unacceptable."

"I won't give up, Sam," Callen said softly.

"Promise me, G."

"I promise..."

xxxxx

Sam spent most of the day watching over his sleeping partner as he tried to get past the horrible feeling of foreboding that he had. The sky was overcast as well which was fitting. Deeks and Kensi seemed to sense his mood and basically stayed to themselves, chatting quietly, both appearing somber.

It was 4 in the afternoon when it happened. "Sam?" Callen awoke suddenly and looked at Sam, with an undecipherable expression on his face. "Something's wrong…"

"What do you mean? What is it?" Sam was trying to keep calm in spite of his increasing feeling of dread. He didn't like the look in Callen's eyes.

"I don't know. I can't explain it. I just feel weird…cold…really weak…" Callen was shivering again, partly from being cold, partly from anxiety. He had never felt like this before. "I think…I think this might be it, Sam…"

He didn't want to believe it, but how could he deny what his partner believed to be true? This was Sam's worst fear coming to fruition. He'd always feared this moment, had hoped it wouldn't happen, but now here it was. "Its okay, G…" Sam moved in closer to his partner then pulled him into his arms and wrapped an additional blanket around him tightly. He could still feel him shivering. "I'm right here with you." The last time he had held G like this was when he had been shot down on Venice Beach. It seemed a lifetime ago. At least then, an ambulance had been mere minutes away. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case now.

"Just so you know, Sam…I didn't give up..." Callen said with a slight tremor in his voice. He didn't want to admit it, but he was really scared. He'd always hoped his death would be in the midst of some act of bravery, rescuing someone in a hail of bullets or that it would be quick and he wouldn't even know what happened to him. He hated this. Hated the look on his partner's face, knowing he was breaking his heart and there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing he was glad about was that their positions weren't reversed. He didn't think he could get over losing Sam. He meant everything to him. At least Sam had his family. He'd be able to move on.

"I know you didn't give up…"

"I'm sorry…"

Sam shook his head. It was becoming more and more difficult to hold himself together. At this moment G looked very young and fragile. Sam wanted so badly to protect him but it was out of his hands now. There was nothing more that he could do. "You don't have anything to be sorry about."

"Tell Hetty…" Tell Hetty what? He didn't know what he wanted Sam to tell her. It should be something profound and meaningful, but he couldn't think of anything. "She was like the mother I never had."

"I'll tell her, G." Hetty would be inconsolable. Sam wasn't even sure if she could recover from this. He was holding himself together by a thread, trying with everything inside of him not to break down. He knew Callen didn't need to see that.

"Tell her…tell her I love her...and Eric and Nell…" He directed his gaze towards Kensi and Deeks. "Love you guys too…sorry I won't be there for your wedding…Be happy…"

"We love you too, Callen," Kensi was only barely able to get the words out. She was very close to losing it. She took Deeks' hand squeezing it tightly. Deeks echoed her words, an audible hitch in his voice.

"I…I thought I would have the chance to go back to see my dad again…" Callen said faintly, looking back at Sam. "He said he'd tell me the reasons why he had to leave me when I was a child. I guess I should have done it sooner…"

"You'll still have that chance, G…" Sam felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. He had never seen G so pale. His eyes were dull and his skin looked practically translucent. "I'll go with you. We'll do it really soon. Together, okay?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Callen's face as he gazed back at Sam. "Best friend ever… Thank you, Sam…for everything…I'm going to miss you…" His eyes locked with Sam's for a long moment, then closed and he became perfectly still. Sam stared at Callen, sure that he had just had the last conversation he would ever have with his partner and best friend…his brother... He was no longer able to hold back his tears.

"Sam?" Kensi was openly crying as Sam stared back at her and Deeks had tears in his eyes as well. "Is he…" She couldn't get herself to say the words.

Sam placed his hand on Callen's neck and his eyes widened in astonishment when he felt the very faint pulse and he heard him take a breath. "He's still alive," Sam stated shakily for their benefit as well as his own.

"He's alive?" Still sobbing, Kensi threw herself against Deeks, momentarily forgetting about his shoulder until he inadvertently groaned. "Oh, I'm sorry, Deeks," she said as she pulled back, laughing and crying at the same time.

"It's okay," Deeks smiled as he pulled her against him, holding her with his good arm. "You okay, Sam?" he asked, looking at the other man with obvious concern in his eyes.

Sam nodded, but he was anything but okay. Callen had thought he was going to die and Sam had believed it as well. He had been lucky this time but he didn't think his partner had many comebacks left in him.

xxxxx

No matter what position he tried to sleep in, Deeks could not get comfortable. The pain in his shoulder was worsening and he was irritable and could feel the beginnings of a headache which he figured was from stress. The ibuprofen was sounding more and more tempting, but he wouldn't allow himself to take even one, especially after what had happened with Callen earlier that day.

"Can't sleep?" Kensi whispered, giving him a troubled look.

"No." Deeks grabbed the canvas bag and dumped the survival supplies on the ground. He then took the bag and tried to fold it up, intending to use it underneath his head and shoulder, hoping that would help. He realized he couldn't fold it properly though as there was something hard inside preventing it. "What the hell?" He grabbed the bag and looked inside, but it was completely empty. Feeling around, he finally discovered a zippered inside pocket. He opened the pocket and pulled out a small, yellow hand-held device. His eyes widened when he read the words on the front of it. "Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah Deeks," Sam looked sluggishly at the younger man. Fatigue was finally catching up with him. He'd been attempting to get some sleep, but instead found himself almost obsessively watching Callen breathe. Callen had not awoken since the earlier episode and Sam suspected his partner had lapsed into a coma. He wondered if each breath G took would be his last. "What is it?"

Deeks silently held the device out to Sam, a hopeful look in his eyes. He was barely able to contain his excitement.

Sam took the device from Deeks, and his expression turned to one of shocked amazement, unable to believe what he now held in his hands… a personal locator beacon. "Oh my God, Deeks…You may have just saved our lives."


	10. Chapter 10

"What is that?" Kensi looked curiously at the device Sam was holding then switched her attention to Deeks when Sam didn't respond to her question. "Deeks, what did you find?"

"It's a locator beacon," Deeks replied. "It was in a pocket in the bag. If it's working, I think it will get us rescued."

"Oh my God, that's wonderful!" Kensi exclaimed, a huge smile on her face. She wrapped her arms around Deeks and hugged him. "I can't believe we might be found. Sam? Can you tell if it works?"

Sam stared at the device in his hands, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that it had been in the bag all along. His eyes settled on Callen and he was immediately wracked by guilt as he realized all the suffering he could have spared his friend if he had searched the bag more thoroughly on day one.

"Sam?" Deeks looked at the other man, a little confused about why he wasn't taking action and why he didn't appear more excited. "Do you know how to work it?"

"Directions are here on the back," Sam said. He held it up to show Deeks and then passed it back to him. "You found it. You deserve the honor."

"Uh…okay," Deeks was clearly puzzled as he took the locator back from Sam.

"Come on, guys…I don't think it matters who does this," Kensi said impatiently. "I just think we should do it now."

Deeks nodded and quickly read over the instructions. They seemed very simple so he read them over again to be sure he wasn't missing anything. "Not much to it." He extended the antenna of the unit then turned the power switch on which activated a blinking light.

"That's it?" Kensi asked dubiously.

"Yeah…that's all it says," replied Deeks.

"How do we know if it's working?" Kensi asked. "Do they signal us back when they get our signal?"

"It should work," Sam said, trying to inwardly assure himself as well as his friends. "We're out in the open here. They should be able to pick up our signal easily enough. I don't think we'll receive a signal back from them though. We just have to wait." The blinking light gave him hope that the unit was doing what it was supposed to do.

"I wonder how long it will take them to come after us," Deeks said musingly. "Does this give them our exact location?"

Sam shook his head. "There are different kinds. Some of them pinpoint location more accurately than others. We have the signal fires all set though. I think they'll spot us pretty easily once they come out looking for us."

"But they probably won't begin searching until daylight," Kensi said with a small sigh, her worried eyes shifting to Callen's still form.

"He'll be okay," Sam stated with much more certainty in his voice than what he felt inside. Callen had barely moved since he lost consciousness. Sam would even welcome his partner having to endure another nightmare at this point, just so he could hear the sound of his voice. "G's going to pull through this."

"He will pull through," Deeks said, nodding in agreement, his blue eyes fixed on the blinking light of the locator which seemed to have almost a hypnotic effect.

"You guys should try to get some sleep," Sam said. "I'll wake you if I hear anything."

"I don't think I could sleep now even if I wanted to," Deeks said. He was much too amped up to even think about sleeping.

"I know I can't sleep," Kensi stated. She felt very restless and wished she could get up and walk around.

Sam ran his hand over his face and sighed deeply, then turned his gaze to his partner. He took his hand and squeezed it gently. "Hey G…I don't know if you can hear me or not, but if you can, help is coming really soon. You need to hang in there for me, okay? Just hang tough, buddy. I know you can do it." He hoped and prayed that Callen would make it through this. If he didn't, Sam knew that he would never be able to forgive himself.

xxxxx

The remainder of the night passed excruciatingly slowly. Sam resumed his obsessive vigil, keeping a close watch over his partner. Deeks and Kensi were mostly silent, both reluctant to express any excitement over the possible impending rescue with Sam so clearly upset. Finally the sun rose and as it did, expectations for the rescue rose as well.

"I wonder how long it will take," Kensi mused, her head turned up towards the sky.

"Could be minutes…could be hours," Sam replied. There was really no way of knowing. He just hoped it was the former rather than the latter.

"You guys hungry?" Deeks asked as he reached for some protein bars. Kensi nodded and Deeks passed her one. Sam didn't respond. "Sam?" Deeks tried again as he held out one of the bars.

"Thanks." Sam took the bar from Deeks and placed it down on the ground beside him. He made no move to open it.

Deeks sighed and ripped the wrapper off his own protein bar then took a bite. He couldn't help thinking how good it would be to be able to have regular food again. He had never really thought about how lucky they were to have so many available food options. He didn't think he would ever take that for granted again.

xxxxx

The morning seemed to drag on as slowly as the night had passed. The three conscious team members were getting more anxious as time went by with no sign of rescue. "What if it isn't working?" Kensi finally voiced out loud what they had each been thinking.

"It has to be working," Deeks said. "It's blinking… doesn't that mean its working?"

"I would have thought so," Kensi said, "but maybe the signal isn't reaching whoever it needs to reach. Sam? What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think," Sam replied despondently. All he knew was if help didn't get here soon, Callen wasn't going to make it. He wasn't sure how much more he could take of his emotions going up and down like a yo-yo. The whole thing was making him physically sick to his stomach.

"I still say it's working," Deeks insisted. "It hasn't been that long. Help is going to be here soon. I can feel it."

They lapsed into silence again and another 20 minutes went by before Kensi cocked her head, listening intently. "Hey guys, listen. Do you hear that?"

"I don't hear anything," Sam said.

"Me either," Deeks answered with a sigh. This was the fifth time this morning Kensi had thought she heard something. Every time it was a false alarm.

"No. I really heard something this time," Kensi said adamently.

"Wait," Sam held up his hand, signaling the other two to be quiet then whispered, "I hear it too," before quickly getting to his feet and staring upward. Deeks followed his example.

"I still don't…" Deeks started.

"Shh," Sam said, still looking upward. Finally, after what seemed like an endless wait, he pointed with a grin on his face. "There!"

Deeks looked in the direction where Sam was pointing and then smiled widely as he saw a helicopter off in the distance. "Oh my, God, I see it. He bent down to Kensi and kissed her enthusiastically. "You were right, baby!"

"We need to make sure they see us," Sam said as he started waving his arms. Deeks did the same with his one uninjured arm and began jumping up and down.

"Hey, we're here!" Deeks shouted. "They're coming closer. I think they see us!"

"They do see us," Sam said. An incredible feeling of relief swept through him as he watched the helicopter's downward approach. He squatted down next to Callen. "The rescue crew is here, G," he said as he patted his partner's shoulder. "They're going to help you and you're going to be fine, you hear me? You're going to pull through this."

xxxxx

Hetty sat at her desk reading and re-reading a file of paperwork, unable to concentrate on any of it. She had just decided to put it aside when a grim-faced Owen made his way into her office. She immediately knew there was news. "What is it, Owen?" she asked, inwardly bracing herself in anticipation of the worst possibility.

"A signal was received from the locator beacon on the team's flight. A rescue helicopter is currently in route to find them."

"So, I take it there is no information about their condition?" Hetty asked, distressed at this newest development, her head filled with images of a downed aircraft.

Owen shook his head. "No, but this is good news, Henrietta. At least they were able to signal us…"

"Yes," Hetty said with a nod, "but..." She stopped, not wanting to voice the possibility that some of the team members could be badly hurt or worse. Negative thoughts like that wouldn't help. She needed to stay positive. "I need to go to them, Owen. Do they know where they'll be brought?"

He nodded. "They're somewhere in a remote area of Washington state. They'll be brought to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. I've got a private plane on standby. As soon as you're ready to go, we can be on our way."

"We?" Hetty questioned, looking at him curiously. "You're going with me?"

"I care about them too, Henrietta," he stated gruffly. "Whenever you're ready…"

"I'm ready now, Owen," she stated. "Let's go."

xxxxx

It didn't take long before the helicopter landed on the beach, a short distance from the campsite. Sam got to his feet and headed over to meet the three crewmen who disembarked. "Hi, I'm Sam Hanna," he said, extending his hand to the man in the lead. "Boy, am I glad to see you."

"I'm Jack Califano. This is Miguel Borjas and Tommy Peterson," the tall, spiky-haired paramedic said as he shook Sam's hand. "Are any members of your group injured?"

Sam nodded at the other two men. "Yeah, I'm pretty much the only one who's not," Sam replied. "My partner is badly hurt and our other two team members are injured as well."

They reached Callen and Jack immediately squatted down beside him as did Miguel who put down the equipment box he was carrying. Tommy went over to Kensi and Deeks. "So, how long has he been like this?" Jack asked as he placed a blood pressure cuff on Callen's arm.

"He's been unconscious since late yesterday afternoon," Sam answered, nervously watching the men working on his partner.

"Miguel, his blood pressure's really low. Let's get an IV going to get some fluids into him. What happened here?" Jack asked as he carefully removed the gauze from Callen's abdomen.

"He was stabbed on the plane before we crashed," Sam replied.

Both Jack and Miguel appeared troubled when he relayed that information. "Uh, is the assailant in custody?" Miguel asked as he hooked up the IV to Callen's arm.

"Not exactly, but he won't be hurting anyone else," Sam stated. "He killed himself."

Jack raised his eyebrows as he and Miguel glanced at each other, but didn't say anything, and continued attending to Callen.

"Seems like you folks have had quite the time," Tommy said as he recorded Kensi's pulse. He had been unable to avoid listening to what Sam was saying. "Are you in a lot of pain right now?"

Kensi shook her head. "No. I'm good."

Deeks brushed his hair back in frustration. He knew that Kensi was anything but good. "Come on Kensi, we're finally getting rescued. You can stop playing superwoman now."

"When are you going to stop playing superman?" Kensi retorted.

"Ma'am? On a scale of one to 10 with 10 being the worst, where would you rate your current pain level?" Tommy interrupted.

Kensi sighed softly. "Maybe about a six."

"Okay," said Tommy, "I can give you something for the pain or you can wait until we get to the hospital, your choice. It looks like your ankle is immobilized pretty well so I'm going to just leave that alone. Doesn't make sense to disturb it right now. It would just increase your pain. We'll get you to the ER and they'll take some x-rays to find out exactly what's going on with it."

Kensi nodded. "I don't need anything for the pain. I'd prefer to just wait until we get to the hospital."

"Let me know if you change your mind or if the pain increases." Tommy turned to Deeks. "I'd like to take your vitals now."

Deeks obediently turned towards the paramedic, giving him easy access to his arm so he could take his blood pressure. "Your pressure is a little high," Tommy said after he finished and removed the cuff from Deeks' arm. "Is that usual for you?"

Deeks shook his head. "No, it's usually on the low side."

Tommy nodded. Well, this is a pretty stressful situation and you're injured. It's not surprising that it would be elevated. How bad is the pain in your shoulder?"

"It's not too bad," Deeks replied. "Maybe a four or five." There was no way he was going to rate his pain higher than Kensi had.

Kensi snorted. "A four? Really Deeks?"

Tommy sighed, wondering if he could believe anything these two were telling him. "Well, the same thing goes for you. I can give you something for the pain or you can wait until we reach the hospital."

"I'll wait," Deeks said quickly.

"Yeah, I figured that's what you'd say. Tell me if anything changes," Tommy said then turned his attention to his co-workers. "You guys need any help?"

"We're good, Tommy," Jack replied.

At that moment another man came over from the helicopter, carrying a stretcher. "That's Chris Harris. He's our pilot," Jack informed them.

"Thought you guys could use this," Chris said as he placed the stretcher down on the ground next to where the men were working. "Anything you need me to do?"

"We're going to need another stretcher," Tommy said. "We've got a probable ankle fracture here."

Chris nodded and headed back to the helicopter. "Be right back."

While all this had been going on, Sam had been paying close attention to the two paramedics who were working on his partner, trying to read their expressions. "So…how's he doing?" he finally asked.

"How long ago did he obtain this knife wound?" Jack asked.

"Um," Sam thought for a few moments. It seemed like the days were just all jumbled together. "I think it was five days ago."

"Okay," Jack turned to Miguel. "Let's get ready to transport him."

"Is there enough room for all of us in the helicopter?" Sam suddenly felt very uneasy. It was obvious Jack had deliberately avoided his question. He didn't want to be separated from his partner, but Kensi was first priority after Callen.

Jack nodded. "Yes. We'll be able to take all of you. When you activated the locator beacon, it was registered to the plane you were on. From there, the flight manifest was retrieved, so we knew the number of passengers onboard."

Sam nodded, feeling somewhat relieved to know he could accompany Callen to the hospital. "Anything I can do to help?" he asked, watching as they secured his partner to the gurney.

Jack shook his head. "No, we've got this. You might want to put those fires out before we take off."

"Yeah, okay." Sam put the fires out with sand while Jack and Miguel picked Callen up and started toward the helicopter. Chris and Tommy secured Kensi to the other stretcher and followed soon after as Sam and Deeks trailed behind.

"How's Callen?" Deeks asked Sam as they walked.

Sam just shook his head. "I don't know, Deeks. They wouldn't give me a straight answer…"

"Try not to worry. I don't think they're supposed to say much. They leave it to the doctors," Deeks said, trying to reassure Sam. "Callen's a tough guy, Sam. He'll be okay."

"Yeah, I know he will," Sam managed to force a smile and waited as the paramedics helped Deeks onto the helicopter. Then, with one last look back at their home for the past few days, he climbed into the helicopter, mentally preparing himself to face whatever was in store for them next.


	11. Chapter 11

"Good luck, guys. I'll check in with you as soon as I can." Sam squeezed Kensi's hand briefly before following alongside Callen's gurney as he was brought into an ER cubicle.

"Excuse me, sir, but you're going to have to wait outside," a middle-aged ER nurse said to Sam.

"Can't I stay with him?" Sam pleaded. "I promise I won't get in the way."

She was about to turn him down, but something about the raw pain in Sam's eyes caused her to change her mind. "Okay, you can stay for now, but if the doctor asks you to leave, you're going to have to do so immediately."

"Thank you," Sam gave her a grateful look as he tried to blend into the background and be as unobtrusive as a man his size could be.

A few minutes later, a doctor strode into the room. He silently picked up the patient assessment forms left by the paramedics and read them then turned toward Sam. "I'm Dr. Landers. Were you in the plane crash as well?"

Sam nodded. "Yes, this is my partner. I can tell you anything you need to know."

The doctor nodded as he began examining Callen. "He was stabbed five days ago?" he asked. "How was he doing before he lost consciousness yesterday?"

"He wasn't doing very well," Sam stated. "He was in a great deal of pain and running a high fever much of the time, sometimes delirious with nightmares and hallucinations. I tried packing the wound but it didn't seem to help with the infection. He just kept getting worse…"

"It sounds like you did all you could do under the circumstances," Dr. Landers said. "Did he complain of any other injuries besides the obvious?"

He was unrestrained when the plane crashed and his ribs were bothering him. He was unconscious when I found him so I'm pretty sure he got a concussion."

The doctor addressed the staff members who were working on Callen. "Okay folks, let's type and crossmatch and get a CBC, chem panel, EKG and a portable chest x-ray. Marie, call upstairs for a surgical consult. See if Hathaway is available." He then turned back to Sam. "Are you able to give surgical consent? At the very least, he's going to need a laparotomy."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I can sign whatever you need." Hetty was Callen's primary medical power of attorney, but Sam had the power as backup when Hetty was unavailable.

"Okay, let's see if we can start to turn things around for your partner," Dr. Landers said.

xxxxx

Deeks quietly approached Kensi's bedside and tenderly took her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Hey Deeks," Kensi said, opening her eyes and smiling at him, taking in the new sling on his arm.

"Hey Kensalina, so what's the word? How are you doing?"

"The doctor says I need to have surgery," Kensi said.

"Really?" Deeks' expression immediately became worried. He hadn't expected to hear that. "It's that bad? I'm sorry, baby."

"Don't worry, Deeks." Kensi could easily see how concerned he was and wanted to ease his mind. "I'll be fine and will be up and around in no time. How about you? What did the doctor say?"

"I've got a separated shoulder. No big deal, just need ice, rest and ibuprofen. No different than what I was doing except we didn't have ice."

"And you weren't taking the ibuprofen…" Kensi stated. "How about your eye? Is it okay?"

"It's fine," Deeks said shortly. The whole memory of Callen punching him then running off was something he wanted to forget. He quickly changed the subject. "When are they going to do the surgery?"

"Pretty soon actually. The anesthesiologist should be down at any time to talk to me."

Deeks nodded then sighed. "I really wish they could just put you in a cast and be done with it."

"Deeks, I'll be fine," Kensi said, trying to reassure him. "Do you have any news about Callen?"

He shook his head. "No…I don't even know where they are."

She stopped herself from saying she was sure he could find them if he tried, realizing that he was too worried about her at the moment to focus on anything else. Just then, there was a knock on the frame of the open doorway and a smiling man hesitantly entered the room. "Hi, I'm Roy Rogers, the anesthesiologist."

Deeks couldn't help but chuckle. "Roy Rogers? Seriously?"

"Yep, I'm afraid so," Roy said, grinning. "My parents were very big fans of old westerns."

"Man…you must have had a rough time growing up," Deeks said.

"Well it helped me develop a thick skin for sure." Roy glanced at the chart he was carrying then turned his attention to Kensi. "How are you doing, Miss Blye?"

"I'm fine," Kensi said.

"Well, why don't we discuss your procedure and any concerns and/or questions you might have?" Roy took a seat by Kensi's bedside and proceeded to go over the operation and do what he could to put Kensi and Deeks at ease.

xxxxx

After Callen was brought into surgery, Sam decided he needed to make phone calls to his wife and Hetty. His cell phone battery had died days ago so he went over to the surgical floor nurses station. "Excuse me," he asked one of the nurses behind the desk. "Is it possible for me to make a couple of collect calls?"

The nurse smiled kindly at him. "You're one of the people from the plane crash, aren't you?" she asked. "Just a minute." She walked away and came back with a cell phone which she handed to Sam. "There's no need to call collect. Please use this to make whatever calls you need to make."

"Thank you very much," Sam said as he took the phone from her. "I appreciate it."

"It's no problem at all," she said. "There's an area right down the hall where you're allowed to use cell phones. Take your time."

"I won't be long," Sam stated, offering a grateful smile. He went in the direction the nurse had pointed to and took a seat in the waiting room which was currently empty. He dialed his home first and smiled when Michelle answered the phone.

"Hey baby, it's me," Sam said.

"Sam! Oh thank God. Where are you? Did your plane crash? Are you okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, baby, one thing at a time. Yes, our plane did crash, but I'm in Seattle now and I'm fine."

"Hetty called and said they had received a signal from your plane and that she was going to meet your team. I wanted to go along but I didn't have time to make arrangements for Kamran. I've been so worried, Sam. Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm sure…it's just so good to hear your voice."

"Well, I can't tell you how good it is to hear yours. Is everyone else okay too?"

Sam hesitated and found himself suddenly choked up and unable to get any words out.

"Sam? What is it? What's wrong?" Michelle asked.

"I…he…" Sam wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his wife and hug her as tightly as he could. "G was hurt pretty badly…he's in surgery…"

"Oh no…" Michelle could tell by Sam's voice how shaken up he was by this and she was shaken by the news as well. "How bad, Sam?"

"Really bad…he's been so sick, Michelle. I thought he was going to die before anyone found us." His voice cracked and he took a deep breath trying to pull himself together. She didn't need to hear him fall apart.

"Sam, honey…let me find somewhere for Kamran to stay and I'll get the first flight out there."

He shook his head then realized that of course she couldn't see him. "No baby…I don't want to disrupt Kamran. I'm okay…he'll be okay too… If things get worse, then you can come out, but let's just wait and see how his surgery goes."

"Alright…if you're sure," she said hesitantly. "But Sam, if you need me to come, just say the word and I'll be there just as quick as I can."

"I know you will. I miss you baby and I'll be home as soon as I'm able."

"We're fine here, Sam," Michelle said. As much as she missed him, she knew how important Callen was to him and she understood he needed to be with his partner. "You don't worry about a thing except taking care of yourself and Callen."

"I love you, Michelle," Sam said, as his eyes filled.

"I love you too. Call me when he's out of surgery."

"I will…I'll talk to you soon…" Sam clicked off the phone, then leaned his head back against the wall with his eyes closed as he tried to keep his emotions from erupting. Now that he knew Hetty was on her way, he wondered how long it would be before she would arrive.

xxxxx

Deeks was waiting in Kensi's room when she was wheeled in from the Recovery Unit. He was silent as he watched the orderlies transfer her from the gurney to the bed and didn't make a sound until after they left and she opened her eyes and gazed at him groggily.

"Hey baby," he whispered as he kissed her gently on the lips. "How are you feeling?"

"Deeks!" She smiled as she looked past him at the vase of bright multicolored flowers and teddy bear on her nightstand. "Oh you're so sweet. Thank you."

"You're welcome. How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he repeated the question.

"I'm good. The doctor said everything went well. Didn't he talk to you afterwards?" she asked then covered her mouth as she yawned.

Deeks nodded. "He did, but I'm still worried about you."

"Hmm…I know you are, but I'm fine," she said then yawned again.

"You need to get some sleep." Deeks gently brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"I love you, Deeks," Kensi said as she drifted off.

"I love you too."

xxxxx

Hetty gave an exasperated huff as she left the information desk and walked over to Owen. "Mr. Callen is in surgery," she informed him, her concern very apparent. "I don't know his condition. Ms. Blye has been admitted to the orthopedic floor. I suggest we begin there." She was very anxious to find out how the members of her team were doing.

"Do you mind telling me what all this stuff is?" he asked her. He was carrying four plastic bags which she had brought with her from Los Angeles.

"I brought some clothing and a few other things they might need," Hetty explained. "I can carry the bags, Owen. You're the one who insisted on taking them from me."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to, Henrietta," he said, barely managing not to roll his eyes. "I was just curious."

"Well then, come along." She quickly began walking down the hallway, following the directions which had been given to her. Finally, they arrived at Kensi's room. She quietly rapped on the door before opening it.

Deeks looked up when the door opened and gave the newcomers a look of surprise. "Wow…I didn't expect to see you two," he said, keeping his voice low.

"Hello, Mr. Deeks," Hetty approached as she looked him up and down. He seemed to be relatively unscathed except for the sling on his arm and the nasty-looking swollen eye. "Where else would we be? Of course we would be here to see how you are doing." She watched as Granger put the bags down and went over to the other side of the room to pull over two more chairs. "Now tell me, how are you and Ms. Blye?" she asked as she sat down in one of the chairs. Granger followed suit after she was seated.

"Well I'm doing alright," Deeks began. "I just have a separated shoulder. Kensi fractured her ankle and needed to have surgery. The doctor says she'll be fine."

"So what happened, Deeks?" Granger was eager to get to the bottom of all this trouble.

Hetty held up her hand. "Wait a minute, Owen," she interrupted. "What happened to Mr. Callen? I hear he's in surgery? And is Mr. Hanna okay?"

Deeks sighed, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. "I guess this kind of ties in to what the assistant director asked," he said glancing at Granger. "Callen was stabbed by the pilot of the plane while we were still up in the air."

"What?" Hetty asked, her eyes wide with shock. "Why on earth would he do such a thing?"

Deeks shook his head. "I don't know…supposedly he was an old friend of Callen's. He acted really friendly to him when we first went aboard and Callen seemed glad to see him. I'm not sure what happened. The next thing we knew, Callen was locked in the cockpit with the guy and we were going down."

"So how was he doing after all this?" This latest bit of news unnerved Hetty who was sick with worry about her team's leader.

Deeks was saved from having to answer her question as Kensi began to stir and groaned softly as she opened her eyes. She smiled faintly at Deeks and then noticed Hetty. "Hetty!"

"Hello, Miss Blye, how are you feeling?" Hetty got up from the chair and went to the side of Kensi's bed.

"I'm doing well, Hetty," Kensi replied. "It is so good to see you."

"It's very good to see you too, dear." Hetty took Kensi's hand and patted it gently. "Is there anything I can get for you? Anything you need?"

"I can't think of anything," Kensi replied, shaking her head.

"Well, we did bring you some clothes and things," Hetty said. "For you too, Mr. Deeks."

"We?" Kensi scanned the room and then she saw Granger who stood up and approached her bed. "Assistant Director Granger. I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"It's alright Agent Blye," he said. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

Kensi nodded. "It was good of you to come."

Hetty turned her attention back to Deeks. "You didn't answer my question before, Mr. Deeks."

"Um…What question was that?" he asked, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"You're stalling."

Deeks sighed heavily. "Callen wasn't doing well, Hetty," he admitted. "He was really sick almost the whole time after we crashed. He had a pretty bad infection going on. Sam did everything he could to take care of him, but there was only so much he could do. Callen wasn't even conscious anymore when help finally came for us."

"Sam was wonderful, Hetty," Kensi said. "Not just to Callen, he helped all of us. I don't know what we would have done if he wasn't there."

Deeks nodded. "He definitely saved my ass out there."

Hetty processed all that Deeks and Kensi told her. She wasn't surprised to hear about all that Sam had done for the team. She was, however, very disturbed to hear about Callen's condition. She would visit with Kensi and Deeks for a short while longer and then hopefully Callen would be out of surgery and she could see for herself how he was doing.

xxxxx

Hetty stood at the opening to Callen's cubicle in the ICU watching Sam. The fact the he did not notice her presence was a testament to just how exhausted he must be. "It is very good to see you safe and sound, Mr. Hanna," she finally said as she stepped into the cubicle.

"Hetty," Sam turned his head to acknowledge the older woman and gave her a tired smile. "It's good to see you too." He started to stand, but she waved him off.

"I'm fine, please sit." Her eyes went to Callen and she felt a knot beginning to form in her stomach. Seeing him intubated and attached to IVs and monitors, brought her back to when he had been shot on Venice Beach. He looked very pale and fragile. "How is he?" she asked softly.

Sam shrugged. "He's really sick, Hetty. It's a long story, but he was stabbed right before we crashed and he has a pretty major infection going on. He also has a couple of busted ribs and a concussion. The doctor said the knife missed his vital organs, which is about the only good news there is. He hasn't regained consciousness, likely because of the toll the infection has had on his body. He's really weak, Hetty… His blood pressure is very low and he's still running a fever." He sighed heavily. "I just wish he'd turn the corner and start to get better."

"He will, in his own time. He's been through quite the ordeal…all of you have… We just need to be patient, Mr. Hanna." Hetty was concerned about Sam as well as Callen. He appeared exhausted and consumed with worry about his partner. She was sure he wasn't taking proper care of himself.

Sam nodded as he pulled the blanket up higher over Callen's chest then tucked it tighter around his partner. Being patient was easier said than done. "Have you seen Deeks and Kensi yet?" he finally asked.

"I just came from visiting them," Hetty replied. "They're on the orthopedic floor. Ms. Blye required a surgical correction of her ankle so they'll be keeping her for a couple of days. She's in a private room so I'm sure Mr. Deeks will be staying there as well."

"Kensi had to have surgery?" Sam asked, a look of concern on his face. "I'd hoped that wouldn't be the case."

"They are both doing well…" She paused then added, "better than you, I'd say…"

"Better than me?" Sam shook his head and offered an unconvincing smile. "I don't know what you're talking about, Hetty. I'm fine. I'm the only one who wasn't hurt."

"You are exhausted, Sam," Hetty said. "From what I've been told, you've been going pretty much nonstop since the plane crash. I know you don't want to hear it, but you need rest and plenty of it. You don't want to make yourself sick."

"I'm not going to make myself sick," Sam retorted.

Hetty ignored her agent's protest. "Now, there's a very nice hotel right down the street from here. You can go there, take a shower, change your clothes and get some real rest. Then you can come back here and resume your place by Mr. Callen's side."

"Sorry, Hetty, but that's not going to happen."

"And if I order you?"

Sam shrugged. "It's still not going to happen. You can fire me if you want to. I'm not leaving him alone."

Hetty shook her head in frustration. "Surely you know better than that, Sam. I will stay here fixed to Mr. Callen's bedside until you return. He will not be alone."

"I'm not leaving until he's awake and I know he's going to be okay."

"You're a stubborn man, Sam Hanna." Hetty realized when she was beaten. It was obvious he wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

"Yeah, well…he's been through a lot," Sam said softly, his eyes filled with emotion as he looked at his partner. He couldn't help but recall when Callen was infected by Spiral and how grateful he had been that Sam had been with him when he had finally regained consciousness. There was no way he wouldn't be there for him now.

"Well then, here." Hetty handed the white plastic bag she was carrying to Sam. "You will at least go find somewhere to freshen up a bit and change your clothes. Surely you can leave him with me long enough to do that?"

"Yes, I can do that. Thank you, Hetty." Sam accepted the bag from her with a grateful smile.

"And you will get yourself something to eat as well?" she asked.

He hesitated and then nodded. "Okay. I'll do that. I won't be long."

After Sam left the cubicle, Hetty settled herself into the chair he had vacated and gently took Callen's hand. "You have a very stubborn partner, Mr. Callen," she said quietly. "He's fiercely loyal and I can't imagine anyone caring about you more, except perhaps me. Now, what I need you to do is to wake up and put his mind at ease. Then he can get some much needed rest and you and your team can come home where you belong."


	12. Chapter 12

Sam quickly freshened up and changed into the clothes Hetty had brought for him. He then grabbed a cup of coffee from a vending machine and headed back to the ICU. He was just about to press the buzzer to be admitted to the unit when a voice caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Agent Hanna."

He turned around and saw Granger put down a magazine as he got up from a chair in the waiting area outside the ICU. "Hi," said Sam, giving the assistant director a surprised look. "I didn't know you were here."

"That seems to be everybody's reaction," Granger said dryly. "Surprise. There's a two visitor limit in the ICU which is why I didn't accompany Henrietta earlier. In any case, you and I are going to go get something to eat."

"Oh, I already ate," Sam said, the white lie easily rolling off his lips.

"Really?" Granger looked back at Sam cynically. "I watched you leave earlier. There's no way you had time to eat. What was this meal and where did it take place?"

Sam realized that extending the lie really wasn't going to help matters any. "I just wanted to get back to G," he admitted.

Granger nodded. "I realize you're worried about your partner, Agent Hanna, but driving yourself into the ground won't help him. Come on. A quick sandwich and you can get right back to him. I also want to find out more about what happened to you and see if you have any additional information to supplement what Deeks told me earlier."

Seeing that he really had no choice in the matter, Sam followed Granger to the cafeteria. Once he was actually standing in line with food at his fingertips though, he realized he really was hungry. He ordered a turkey reuben sandwich and a bowl of mixed fruit. Granger got a grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of tomato soup. The two men found a relatively secluded table and settled down to eat.

"So, you hanging in there, Hanna?" Granger asked, satisfied to see Sam taking a healthy bite of his sandwich.

Sam nodded. "I'm doing fine," he answered. "I'm just worried about the rest of the team."

"I heard you were pretty amazing out there."

"I just did what I was trained to do," Sam said and took another bite of his sandwich. He really didn't want to talk about how amazing he had supposedly been. He still hadn't gotten past the fact that he had neglected to find the locator beacon in the canvas supply bag.

"Okay," Granger sensed that Sam was a reluctant hero. "Can you tell me what you know about what happened before the plane crashed?"

"An old friend of G's…" Sam concentrated for a few seconds before coming up with the name. "Andy Billings was piloting the plane, seemed friendly enough. G joined him in the cockpit to catch up. They hadn't been in touch for around 12 years. Next thing we knew, the cockpit was locked and the plane was going down. When I finally got in there, after we had hit the ground, G was unconscious. He had been stabbed in the abdomen and his so-called friend had shot himself in the head."

"And you have no idea why this might have happened?" Granger asked.

"He told G that someone had abducted his wife and children, that he had to kill Callen or they would be killed."

Granger was mentally comparing Sam's version of the story to what Deeks had told him. This part was all new information. "So, why did he kill himself? How would he even know his wife and kids were still alive? What was to stop this person or people from killing them anyway?" That part really didn't make sense to him.

"No idea," Sam said with a shrug as he popped a grape into his mouth. "The whole thing was crazy."

"Did Callen tell you the name of the wife?"

"No," said Sam. "He didn't. He was feeling pretty crappy at the time. He couldn't make any sense out of it either."

"Okay, thanks. We'll talk to your partner when he regains consciousness. For now, I'm going to see if Eric and Nell can get us some more information. We'll figure this thing out." At the very least, they needed to find out what had happened to the man's wife and children and hopefully discover who was behind this plot to take down Agent Callen. "Do you think Callen needs protection?"

Sam was about to say no, but then really thought about just how tired he was and how vulnerable his partner was at the moment. Sam knew he was nowhere near his normal level of alertness. He didn't want to make a mistake that could prove fatal to Callen because he was too stubborn to admit he needed help. "It's probably not a bad idea," he admitted with a nod. "Maybe station someone outside his room in the ICU, just to be safe."

"Consider it done," Granger said as he took out his cell phone and made a quick call to request an agent be brought in. The two then finished their dinner in companionable silence and then headed back to the ICU so Sam could continue to watch over Callen.

xxxxx

"Kensi…" Deeks said in a sing-song voice as he pressed a kiss on her lips. "Wake up…I have a surprise for you."

Kensi snuggled deeper under the blankets, not quite ready to wake up.

"Come on, baby," Deeks persisted. "This is going to melt."

Kensi's interest was mildly heightened by that. "Hmm…what's going to melt?" she asked, smiling, but with her eyes still closed.

"Uh uh, sleeping beauty. You need to open your eyes and see for yourself."

Her curiosity aroused, Kensi finally forced her eyes open and her smile widened even further when she saw what Deeks held in his hands. "Deeks, that looks amazing. Where did you get it?" she asked, her eyes fixed on the delicious-looking concoction he had, a combination of white cake, strawberries, ice cream and whipped cream. He proudly placed it on her bedside table along with plastic forks and spoons.

"I got it in the cafeteria."

"Really?" Kensi asked, a little bit skeptically as she gazed at the strawberry shortcake and then into Deeks' eyes. "The cafeteria here has fancy desserts like this?"

"Bertha, the cafeteria lady here, loves me," he stated with a grin.

"And do I want to know what you did to get such adoration from Bertha?" Kensi asked with a mock pout.

"Don't tell me you're jealous, Fern," Deeks teased. "I was just being my usual, impossible to resist, charming self. I was looking at the desserts when going through the cafeteria line. I saw the strawberry shortcake and I asked her if there was any ice cream to go with it for my poor girlfriend who was recovering from surgery. The next thing I knew, she had turned it into this. "

"Hmm…well Bertha did an outstanding job. Be sure to thank her for me," Kensi said as she picked up a spoon, dug into the ice cream, then put it into her mouth. "Oh my God, Deeks. This is sooo good."

"Yeah well, I figured you could use a treat after all you've been going through," Deeks said, happy to see Kensi light-hearted and taking pleasure in something for a change.

"Try some," Kensi invited as she took another spoonful of ice cream and held it temptingly towards his mouth. "It's really good."

Deeks was unable to resist Kensi or the treat as he opened his mouth and licked the ice cream off the spoon. "Mmm…delicious…"

Kensi smiled as she handed him a fork and the two continued to enjoy the decadent dessert.

"So any word on Callen?" Kensi asked as she swallowed the last mouthful of cake and put down her fork with a contented sigh.

Deeks shook his head. "No. No one has been by to give an update."

Kensi looked at him in dismay. "Deeks…you need to go find out what's going on with him. Sam isn't going to leave him if he's not doing well."

Deeks nodded. "I thought Hetty or Granger might have stopped by, but you're right, baby. I'll go find out how he's doing."

"Thank you. I'd go with you but I'm supposed to stay in bed until tomorrow."

"You need your rest." Deeks stood up and bent down to give her a quick kiss. "I'll be back soon."

"I'll be waiting," she said smiling up at him. "If he's awake, tell Callen I'm thinking of him."

"I will." Deeks smiled at her and then headed off to find out what he could about their team leader's condition.

xxxxx

Deeks came to a standstill when he saw Danny Ward, an upstanding NCIS agent, stationed outside what he had been told was Callen's ICU cubicle. "Hey Danny," he said, extending his hand to the agent who grasped it in a friendly handshake.

"Hi, it's good to see you." Danny's attention was instantly drawn to Deeks' eye. "Damn, that looks really painful, Deeks. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing alright," Deeks replied. He really wished Callen had punched him anywhere other than his eye. It was always the first thing anyone seemed to notice. Though he guessed a broken nose would have been even worse.

"I'm glad to see you came through the crash okay. How's Kensi?"

"She has a broken ankle so she has some recovering to do, but other than that, she's doing good."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"So, they assigned you protective detail for Callen?" Deeks asked, a little confused by this turn of events.

Danny nodded. "I was already here in Seattle on another assignment so Granger pulled me off that and posted me here for the time being. I'll be alternating with another agent I've been working with, Jeff Anderson. "

Deeks tried to recall the other agent's name but it wasn't familiar to him. "I don't think I know him," he said. "How's Callen doing?"

"I think it's still touch and go," Danny replied. "Sam is with him now, has been since I got here."

"Okay, I'm going to head in there," Deeks said. "Good to see you, Danny."

"Likewise."

Deeks walked into the cubicle and Sam looked up immediately. "Hey Deeks," he said, giving him a weary smile.

"Man…you need to get some sleep, Sam," Deeks said. Sam seemed to look worse every time he saw him. Now he looked like the poster boy for the definition of exhaustion.

"How's Kensi?" Sam asked, ignoring Deeks' comment.

"She's doing pretty well," Deeks answered. His eyes were drawn to Callen and he couldn't help but be discouraged when he saw all the equipment attached to him. "How is he?" he asked softly.

Sam sighed heavily. "I don't know, Deeks…I'm trying to be positive here, but…it's difficult. I really wish he'd wake up…"

Deeks nodded, unsure of what to say to make Sam feel better. He really didn't think anything would until Callen hopefully turned the corner and his condition started to improve. "Can I get you anything?" he finally asked.

Sam shook his head. "Not unless it's a magic potion to make him well," he said.

"I would if I could," Deeks said, at a loss as to what to say. He wasn't used to Sam being so down in the dumps. It was disconcerting to say the least.

"I know you would, Deeks," Sam said softly.

"Have you eaten anything?" Deeks didn't want to sound like a nag, but if Sam wasn't eating, and he obviously wasn't sleeping, it wasn't going to do him or Callen any good.

"Granger dragged me to the cafeteria to get something for dinner earlier," Sam said.

"That's good…and he also assigned Danny to guard duty?"

"Yeah," Sam said with a nod. "I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Deeks gave Sam a confused look. "Am I missing something, Sam?" he asked. "Why do we need Danny here? Andy's dead. He can't hurt Callen anymore…"

Sam sighed. It was hard to remember exactly who knew what. "Andy was doing someone else's dirty work," he explained. "He said that someone was holding his wife and two children hostage and Andy was supposed to kill Callen in exchange for their release."

Deeks looked even more confused. "But that doesn't make any sense," he said. "I mean, yeah, I get that he tried to kill Callen, but why did he shoot himself? How would he even know whoever it was let his family go?"

"That's the million dollar question," Sam said. "I don't think we'll ever find an answer as to why. Maybe it was guilt. I don't really know. What I do know is that whoever wanted Andy to kill G is still out there and if they don't already know he's still alive, it's only a matter of time before they do."

Deeks nodded. "And he's pretty much defenseless right now…"

"And I don't want to take any chances…"

"Sounds like you made a good decision." Deeks was glad that Sam realized he wasn't at his best right now and wouldn't be able to give Callen the protection he might require. None of them were capable of that right now. They had all been through a lot.

Sam nodded and the conversation stalled. The only sounds were the beeping of Callen's heart monitor, background noise from other ICU cubicles and chatter from the nurses' station. "I guess I should get back to Kensi…" Deeks spoke after a few minutes, unable to stand the long awkward silence any longer. His presence obviously wasn't doing Sam any good.

"Okay…Give her my best. I'll try to come by to see her tomorrow." Sam was really hoping Callen would make some kind of improvement by then.

"I'll tell her, Sam," Deeks said as the two men shook hands. "You take care of yourself, okay? Try to get some rest." Looking at the chair Sam was sitting in, he didn't think that would be an easy task, but he hoped Sam would somehow be able to manage it.

"I will. Thanks for coming by, Deeks."

"No problem," Deeks said. He then turned towards Callen and lightly patted his hand. "Get well soon, Callen," he whispered. "We're all pulling for you." He could feel his emotions unexpectedly brimming to the surface so he quickly turned away and headed out of the room after saying a hurried goodbye to Sam.

xxxxx

The night passed excruciatingly slowly for Sam. He would doze off only to be unexpectedly awakened with a sudden muscle cramp or when a nurse came in to check on Callen. The chair was very uncomfortable and he couldn't help longing for a bed, but he just couldn't bear the thought of leaving his partner. Finally, morning came and with it a breakfast which was brought to him, courtesy of a kind-hearted nurse. It definitely wasn't a gourmet meal, consisting of lukewarm eggs, slightly burnt toast, hash browns and limp bacon, but Sam was hungry and gratefully ate every bite of it. After he ate, he took a short break to call Michelle and use the rest room. Then he quickly returned to Callen's bedside.

xxxxx

The first positive sign was the subtle movement of Callen's fingers, barely even noticeable. Before Sam even had a chance to process it though, things changed rapidly. He glanced at his partner's face only to see blue eyes filled with confusion and panic. The monitor attached to Callen showed his heartbeat escalating rapidly.

"Shit," Sam frantically pressed the call button and grabbed Callen's hand, keeping it firmly in his grasp. He had known Callen wasn't going to react well when he awoke with the intubation tube still in place. "G…G, calm down, buddy. I'm right here. You're okay."

A nurse stepped into the cubicle and quickly assessed the situation. "I'll get a doctor. Try to keep him calm if you can."

"Come on, G. Don't fight it. The doctor will be here really soon. Everything's going to be alright. You're alright, you're okay." He continued to murmur reassurances, keeping his tone as composed as possible and was gratified that his friend seemed to be trying to focus on Sam's words and at least appeared somewhat less agitated. "You're doing good, G."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief as a doctor came in with the nurse. "Do you mind stepping outside for a few minutes?" he asked Sam.

Sam nodded and turned to his partner. "I'll be right back, G, okay? I'm going to be right outside."

Callen still looked slightly panicked, but he managed a nod and Sam stepped outside the cubicle. He said hello to Jeff, the new NCIS agent who had taken Danny's place early that morning, but he didn't know him and wasn't in the mood for small talk. He really wished his partner wasn't going through all this. He couldn't stand seeing him suffer. He paced up and down through the ICU until he noticed an annoyed look cast his way by one of the nurses and then he managed to stay still. Finally the doctor and nurse emerged from Callen's cubicle. "Is he okay?" Sam asked anxiously.

The doctor nodded. "We've extubated him. He's much calmer and his heart rate is back to normal. He still can't eat or drink anything until he's cleared by Dr. Hathaway, but you can give him some ice chips if he wants them."

"Okay. Thank you, doctor." Sam nodded his appreciation before heading back into his partner's cubicle. Callen appeared to be asleep so Sam walked as quietly as he could and settled back in the chair by his bedside.

xxxxx

Exhausted, Callen had fallen asleep again right after the extubation, but he didn't sleep for long. He restlessly moved about under the covers and the bed seemed to creak noisily with each movement. He finally opened his eyes and saw Sam sitting faithfully beside him. "Hey," he said hoarsely then coughed and swallowed, wincing at the pain in his throat.

"Hey, G…" Sam was beyond relieved to finally see his partner awake and seemingly coherent. "How are you feeling? Do you want some ice chips?"

Callen nodded and Sam took a spoonful of ice from the cup on the tray by Callen's bed and fed it to his partner. "Thanks," he said, closing his eyes with relief as the cold ice eased the roughness in his throat.

"More?" Sam asked.

Callen nodded again and Sam gave him another spoonful. The fact that Callen wasn't protesting being spoon fed by his partner told Sam how lousy he must be feeling.

"Where…where are we?" Callen asked, his voice weak. "How…how did we get here?"

"We're in a hospital in Seattle," Sam explained. "Deeks found a locator beacon after you lost consciousness. He activated it and the following morning we were rescued."

Callen struggled to stay alert as he tried to sort out what Sam had told him. He had so many questions and wanted to continue the conversation, but he was just too tired and not able to keep his eyes open any longer. He hazily heard Sam's voice in the background telling him to sleep just before he drifted off once again.


	13. Chapter 13

Hetty stepped into Callen's ICU cubicle to see both her senior agents fast asleep. She noted that Callen was no longer intubated and took that to be a very good sign. She turned her attention to Sam and shook her head at his positioning. His head was tilted back awkwardly and even though the chair he was in reclined, it obviously was not comfortable for him. She had no doubt that the decision she had made was the correct one. She walked over to him and gently shook his shoulder as she spoke quietly, "Mr. Hanna."

Sam immediately awoke, startled at Hetty's touch. "Oh, good morning, Hetty," he mumbled as he forced his tired eyes to remain open.

"Good morning, Sam." She waited for him to be a little more alert before continuing. "I must say, I've had quite enough of this."

"Enough of what?" Sam asked in confusion.

Hetty handed him the dark grey backpack she was carrying along with a keycard. "You are leaving here, Mr. Hanna. Immediately."

Sam shook his head. "No I'm not, Hetty. I'm staying here with G."

Hetty was all business as she spoke to him. "No, you are not. I have booked you a very nice room at the Crowne Plaza and you are going there to get some sleep. I will not have you making yourself sick. You will shower, eat and sleep and you are not to return here for at least eight hours from now." She looked at her watch and continued, "which will be 7 o'clock this evening. I expect you to eat both lunch and dinner in this time period and don't even think about trying to lie to me, Mr. Hanna, because trust me…I will know… There's a restaurant on the premises and room service if you are so inclined."

"But Hetty…"

"No buts, Mr. Hanna. If I were you, I would leave now or you won't be allowed back here tonight and I will make that happen. I have issued you a new weapon and a cell phone for whatever calls you wish to make. Talk to your wife and daughter, Sam. I'm sure they'd like to hear from you more often. There is also some cash and a credit card for a taxi, food and anything else you might need. Everything is in this bag along with some more clothes. Now scoot."

"How about six hours?" Sam tried to bargain as he gave her a pleading look.

Hetty bit back a smile at his persistence. She could not conceive of a more dedicated partner for Callen than Sam was. "As much as I love a good debate, this is not a negotiation. Unless, of course, you would like to start at ten hours and I will gladly lower it to nine."

Sam gave Hetty a long look, but he really didn't have the energy required to fight her on this. He reluctantly got up from the chair and barely managed to stifle a moan as his stiff and sore muscles rebelled against his movements. "G woke up earlier," Sam told Hetty. "His surgeon hasn't been in yet. He can have ice chips, but that's all he's allowed to have right now. If he wakes up, make sure you tell him I'll be back tonight. And let me know if he needs anything."

"Oh Sam, I promise to take very good care of him," Hetty said earnestly. She did feel bad forcing him away like this, but it was for his own good.

"And if his condition changes?" Sam asked, clearly emotional as he stared at his sleeping partner. He longed to wake him up, just to talk to him for a few minutes before he left, but he knew that would be selfish. Callen needed his rest to recover.

"If he gets any worse, I will let you know right away. The hotel is very close by if you need to get back here for any reason, but let's not borrow trouble."

"I just…I can't help but worry about him," Sam admitted. He knew that he was overtired and that was probably making him overly protective, but he really didn't like leaving Callen when he was this defenseless and so obviously at risk. He felt like he was abandoning him.

"He will be fine. Owen is checking on Mr. Deeks and Miss Blye and then he will be here as well. We will keep him safe until you return, Sam." Hetty took Sam's large hand in her own small one and squeezed it reassuringly. "You know how much Mr. Callen means to me. I'm not about to let anything happen to him."

Sam nodded reluctantly as he looked over at Callen once more. "I'll see you later, G," he whispered.

"We will see you this evening," Hetty said, feeling very much like she had just kicked a puppy to the curb as Sam made his way out of the room.

xxxxx

"You're doing great, Fern," Deeks said supportively as Kensi made her way back into her room with her new set of crutches, the physical therapist walking alongside her. She then put the crutches to her side and carefully lowered herself into a chair.

"You're doing very well," Matt, the young physical therapist said. "I can see you won't have any trouble getting around."

"Hopefully, that means I'll be out of here soon," Kensi said.

"Well that's up to your doctor," Matt said. "I'll give him a good report from the PT side of things though."

"Thanks for your help," Kensi said as she watched Matt leave the room and then turned her attention to Deeks. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"If you call an aide coming in to pick up the breakfast tray interesting then I guess so," Deeks replied as he tossed the magazine he was reading onto her bed. "She gave me kind of a weird look, not sure why."

Kensi gazed at Deeks in amusement. "Well, you are looking a little bit scruffier than usual," she observed. "Or maybe it was because you were reading Seventeen magazine."

"Hey, it's the only magazine in here," Deeks said. "Besides, it can't hurt to keep up with the trends of today's young women. You never know when one of them is going to commit a crime."

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Maybe the aide just didn't think you belonged here."

"You wound me," Deeks said with a grin as he put his hand over his heart.

"Seriously though, Deeks. You don't have to stay here 24/7," Kensi said. "If you have anything you'd like to do, I don't mind."

"I actually think its better that the two of you stay together," Granger said from where he was standing at the open doorway to Kensi's room.

"Why?" Deeks asked. "You think we're in danger? The person who orchestrated this whole thing was after Callen, not us. He or she probably doesn't even know we exist."

"You're probably right." Granger nodded in agreement. "But just humor me, okay? Now I'm in a really good mood. This would be your opportunity if there's anything you want me to get for you, food, drinks, whatever you want."

"I don't know," Deeks said, looking at Kensi. "You want anything?"

Kensi shook her head. "I think I'm good, sir, but thank you for asking."

"Well then, here," Granger said gruffly as he closed the door to the room, ensuring their privacy, and handed Deeks an identical backpack to the one that Hetty had given to Sam. "Here are weapons, phones, cash and credit cards for whatever you need. If you have to get in touch with me, I'll be with Henrietta. We're going to be watching over Agent Callen today."

"What about the two visitor ICU rule?" Deeks asked.

"Sam is going to be at a hotel getting some rest."

"Uh, really?" Deeks smiled dubiously and shook his head. "I'd like to see how you're going to accomplish that. I don't think Sam will be leaving Callen's side any time soon."

"And I think you underestimate Henrietta," Granger said. "Agent Hanna is exhausted. He needs a break."

"Oh I'm not disagreeing with you," said Deeks. "Sam looked like crap last night. I just don't think he's going to leave."

"Well, he's really not going to have a choice," Granger stated. He then fixed his eyes on Kensi. "Agent Blye, you appear to be doing well. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good, sir," Kensi replied. "I'm just worried about Callen. Is there anything new on his condition?"

Granger shook his head. "I don't have an update yet today, but I assume he's holding his own or we would have heard."

"I'd really like to see him," Kensi said wistfully as she fidgeted restlessly in the chair.

Granger looked at Kensi thoughtfully and nodded. "If you and Deeks would like to come by this afternoon, we'll step out so you can visit with him for a bit."

Kensi's expression brightened. "Thank you. I'd like that."

"You're welcome. Okay, I'm going to head to the ICU. Why don't you stop by sometime between 3 and 4? You can stay with Agent Callen for a little while and we'll take a break."

"That sounds good," Deeks said, nodding. "We'll see you later."

They watched as Granger left the room and then Deeks turned to Kensi. "You want to go back on the bed so you're more comfortable?" he asked.

"No, I'm alright here," Kensi said, shaking her head.

"I was just thinking we could get in a little cuddle time and maybe watch some t.v." Deeks said with a playful smile.

"Well, I guess if you put it like that." Kensi returned his smile. She then took the crutches and made her way over to the bed where Deeks settled down beside her and put his arm around her. Kensi then grabbed the remote control to the television set. "Okay, let's see if we can find something halfway decent to watch and then maybe head to the cafeteria to get some lunch before we go see Callen? You can introduce me to Bertha."

"Sounds perfect." Deeks lightly kissed her cheek before Kensi rested her head on his shoulder and started absently flicking through the channels. She tired of that quickly though and abandoned that idea in favor of pulling Deeks towards her and finding his lips with her own.

xxxxx

Hetty watched over Callen, pleased that he appeared to be sleeping comfortably. She preferred the quiet to the sound of the television, and she didn't want to take a chance on waking him, so she sat in silence, or rather as silent as a room in the ICU could be. She wished she had thought to bring a book. Maybe once Owen arrived she would go to the hospital gift shop and pick up a paperback.

As she sat there, she let her thoughts drift to a time many years ago, not long after Callen had started to live with her. He had only been with her a couple of months and he had still been so suspicious and always guarded when he was around her. She couldn't help but smile at the memory of that distrustful boy. One day he had come home from school and had appeared to be ill. She had questioned him, but he had been evasive and had retreated to his bedroom. That night at dinner, he had basically moved the food around on his plate but hadn't eaten a bite. When she had checked on him, before retiring to her own room, she had found him feverish in the throes of a nightmare. She had sat with him that night and the next day had brought him to her physician who had determined that he had meningitis.

For several days, he had been extremely fatigued and feverish with a horrible headache and stiff neck. He had been confined to bed and his eyes had been so sensitive to light that he hadn't even been able to tolerate watching television. That was when she had begun aloud reading to him. She had chosen old classics like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Call of the Wild, Oliver Twist, and The Three Musketeers among others. It was during that time that things had started to change. He had appeared to look forward to her visits with him and by the time he had recovered, he had definitely been more at ease with her. In retrospect, that illness had been a blessing in disguise as it had proved to be a turning point in their relationship. He had told her, many years later, that no one had ever really cared for him before when he was sick and it had meant a lot to him.

"Sam? Sam, where are you?" The sound of Callen's voice brought Hetty out of her reverie. She saw that he appeared agitated and was obviously struggling with a nightmare.

"Shhh… Grisha," Hetty said soothingly as she very gently rubbed his shoulder trying to comfort him. It seemed he was still prone to nightmares when he was sick. "Everything is going to be okay. I'm here, it's alright. It's only a dream. You're safe, Grisha."

"Hetty?" He opened his eyes and looked at her in wonder. "You're here?"

"Of course I'm here," she said softly. "You've been hurt. Where else would I be?"

"You called me Grisha…"

"That's your name, isn't it?" Hetty said matter-of-factly.

"You've never called me it before."

"No…no I haven't," Hetty agreed. "I'd say this is definitely the proper occasion for it, don't you think? Though you've never spoken to me about your name either."

"No…you're right about that," Callen admitted quietly, seeing the silent question in her eyes. "I don't really know why…I guess part of me is still getting used to it myself. It's weird to have this name all of a sudden when I've gone so long without one."

"Grisha Alexandrovich Nikolaev… It's a good name. It suits you." Hetty said, smiling at him.

Callen returned her smile, then his gaze roamed over the room and back to Hetty. "Is the team alright?" he asked. "I know Sam told me we were rescued, but I fell asleep before I could really talk to him about it and I don't remember any of what happened."

"No. I don't suppose you would. You were unconscious at the time. Ms. Blye had surgery on her ankle but she is coming along very well. Mr. Deeks is with her and he's fine. I sent Mr. Hanna to a hotel to get some rest but he will be back this evening."

Callen gave a frustrated sigh. "Sam doesn't have to come back, Hetty. I'm sure he's exhausted. He really came through for us after the crash. I don't think I would have made it if he hadn't been there to take care of me. He was pretty amazing. He should go home and spend some time with Michelle and Kamran, maybe go visit Aidan. He deserves that after all that's happened."

Hetty shook her head, smiling faintly. "You know better than that. He's not going to leave Seattle until you're sitting right next to him on that plane."

"He doesn't have to stay," Callen protested. "I'll be okay."

"Are you sure about that, Agent Callen?" Granger asked as he came into the room. "Agent Hanna thinks you need protection and I happen to agree with him."

"Assistant Director…" Callen shot a surprised look at the other man as he approached. "I didn't know you were here…"

"I'd be shocked if you did," Granger said with a slight smirk. "You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," Callen replied. "Thirsty…" He looked at Hetty hopefully. "Can I have a drink?"

"I'm sorry," Hetty said, giving him an apologetic look. "You're still only allowed to have ice chips. I expect the doctor will be in to see you shortly." If the doctor didn't come soon, she would see to it that he did. She picked up the cup on his tray and saw that what had earlier been ice chips was now a cup of warm water. "I'll go get you some."

"You don't have to…" Callen tried to stop her, but she was already out the door. He sighed softly and contemplated his newest visitor with a speculative look.

"So…you want to tell me what happened up there that led to the crash?" Granger asked as he settled himself into the chair Hetty had just vacated.

Callen didn't particularly relish going over the memory again, but he knew the assistant director needed to hear the details from him first hand. "A guy I used to work with in the past, Andy Billings, was the pilot for our flight. He used to be one of the best, flew me out of a ton of scrapes before I joined NCIS. I really trusted him back then… Anyway, I went into the cockpit to keep him company and catch up on things. I was going back to check on the team and he suddenly grabbed me from behind and stabbed me."

"Just like that? Right out of the blue?" Granger asked.

"Yeah…I mean he wasn't acting quite like himself, but I never would have expected something like that."

"Then what?"

"Then…" Callen rubbed his eyes wearily. He was rapidly beginning to tire and starting to lose focus. "He apologized, said he had no choice, that someone was holding his wife and children hostage and he had to kill me…"

"What's his wife's name?"

"Jessica."

"And the children?" Granger prodded.

"I don't know…I don't remember," Callen said. The details were becoming fuzzy and he was obviously struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Well, how many are there? Did he tell you their names or didn't he?" Granger snapped.

"Owen, stop!" Hetty walked back into the room and gave Granger a death glare. "Can't you see he's wiped out?"

Granger looked at Callen who had already fallen back to sleep. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, a bit ashamed at having practically screamed at the ailing agent. "But I'm frustrated. We need to know these things."

"I think Mr. Beale and Miss Jones are more than capable of coming up with names and they will notify us soon with any information they have gathered."

"Well I hope so," Granger said. "Because it could be anyone out there who wants your agent dead, Henrietta and we don't have any clue of who it could be. We need answers. I'm going to go get another chair." He then got up and left the room.

Hetty sighed as she placed the untouched cup of ice chips on the tray and looked down at her sleeping agent with anxious eyes. She knew that Owen was right. They needed to find out soon who was after Callen and put this person or people away once and for all, before any more harm could come to him.


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm really thirsty," Callen mumbled irritably to no one in particular. Granger was silently reading the newspaper and Hetty was reading some novel she had gotten at the gift shop. She had brought him a book also, but he didn't feel like reading. He was tired and bored and he wished Sam was there.

"Have some ice chips, Mr. Callen," Hetty said, looking up from her book. "They're right there in front of you."

Callen stuck the spoon into the cup, picked up some ice chips and put them into his mouth. It was better than nothing but not much. "What time did you say Kensi and Deeks are coming?" he asked Granger.

"I think he's getting sick of us, Henrietta," Granger said, a look of amusement on his face.

"I didn't say that."

"They'll be here sometime between three and four," Granger replied. He tossed the half of the newspaper he wasn't reading onto the bed. "Here, read this."

Callen sighed then grunted in pain as he shifted his torso in an attempt to reach the hospital bed controls.

"Do you need help, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked, barely able to mask her concern.

"No. I can do it."

She shook her head as she got up from her chair and went to assist him. "Are you trying to sit up?" she asked, deliberately keeping her tone soothing. She could see how frustrated he was. She was almost beginning to regret sending Sam off for so long.

"Yes," he admitted, a pained look on his face as Hetty pressed the correct control button and raised his bed so that he was in more of a sitting position.

"Better?" she asked him.

He nodded. "Yes, thank you, Hetty."

"You're welcome," she said, returning to her chair. "You should just ask for help if you need it. Everyone does at one time or another."

"I know. I will…" He picked up the remote control to the television set and turned it on then began flicking through the channels. He watched a few minutes of Jerry Springer before changing that in disgust. Then he watched a few minutes of The Young and The Restless but had no tolerance for that either. After watching a few minutes each of The Home Shopping Network, Friends and The People's Court, he turned the television off. Drowsiness eventually overcame him once again and he drifted off to sleep.

"I've seen toddlers with more ability to entertain themselves," Granger remarked, once he was sure that Callen was asleep.

"He doesn't do sick very well," Hetty said. "He never has. He's not one to sit around watching television. When Miss Blye and Mr. Deeks get here, I'd like to go out and find him a tablet or a Chromebook. That should help to occupy his time."

"Really?" Granger asked, scowling. "Is that a work related expense?"

Hetty narrowed her eyes as she stared at Granger. "Whether you approve it for work or not makes no difference. I'll just buy it myself if you'd like. I don't mind."

Granger shook his head. "That's not necessary. It's not a problem."

"Why thank you, Owen," Hetty said, smiling sweetly. "I'm sure Mr. Callen will thank you as well."

Granger spent a few minutes searching with his phone. "There's a Best Buy about 20 minutes away. I can drive you there after Deeks and Blye get here. They can stay with him until we get back."

"Are you sure you're not just checking up on me so I don't spend too much?" Hetty asked.

"If you want to take a taxi instead, that's your prerogative," Granger stated. He had rented a car at the airport when they had arrived in Seattle.

"No, no. I'll take you up on your offer. Why spend money unnecessarily on a taxi?"

Granger wanted to make a comment about unnecessarily spending money on an electronic device just to keep Callen's boredom at bay, but decided that would be unwise. Besides, Callen had been hurt while on assignment so he supposed it was the least they could do.

xxxxx

Callen had just woken up when the doctor finally came into his cubicle in the ICU. "Hello, Mr. Callen, I'm Dr. Hathaway," he said extending his hand to Callen. "I'm sorry it's taken so long to get to you today. I had to perform an emergency surgical procedure."

"That's okay," said Callen. He sent a pointed look in Hetty's direction and she immediately took the hint.

"Come along, Owen," she said. "Let's give them some privacy."

Granger got to his feet and followed Hetty. "We'll be right outside," he said to Callen before leaving the room.

"I'd like you to lie back so I can take a look at you," the doctor said as he pressed the control button on the bed until it was once again flat. After Callen was stretched out on the bed as instructed, the doctor gently removed the gauze from his abdomen and examined the wound. "It's looking pretty good," the doctor said. He proceeded to redress it and take all of Callen's vital signs, nodding approvingly when that was complete. "You're definitely doing better." He then bent down to take a quick look at Callen's catheter bag and rose with a concerned look on his face. "Hmm…"

"What is it?" Callen asked apprehensively, not sure if he could deal with any more problems.

"It looks like there's a little bit of blood in your urine. It might not be anything, but I don't want to take any chances so I'm going to send you down for an ultrasound."

"That doesn't sound good," Callen said, obviously rattled by what the doctor had said.

"I don't think there's anything to worry about," Dr. Hathaway said reassuringly. "I'm just being extra cautious because of everything that's happened to you. It's very likely nothing at all."

"Okay," Callen said, nodding, though he didn't look particularly convinced.

"Have you been having any flank pain?" the doctor asked.

Callen shook his head. "No, my ribs hurt and I've had pain in my abdomen. I've just been kind of sore all over."

"Those are all normal symptoms with what you've gone through," Dr. Hathaway stated. "You're going to need to drink some water beforehand. Four glasses would be ideal if you think you can do it, but if not, just drink what you can comfortably. I don't want you to make yourself sick. You don't need that extra strain on your body right now."

"I'm pretty thirsty," Callen said, relieved that at least he could finally drink something. "I'm sure I can manage."

"Okay then, someone will be up to transport you in about an hour or so. I'll send a nurse in with some water for you to drink. And for some good news, I don't see any reason for you to be in the ICU any longer. I'll leave orders for you to be transferred to the regular surgical ward after the ultrasound. And we can try you on something light this evening for dinner."

"Yeah? That is good news. Thanks, Doctor."

Dr. Hathaway left the room and Callen sighed heavily as he raised the level of the bed once again. He was already sick of this place and now there might be another complication. He glanced over at Hetty and Granger as they came back into the room.

"So Agent Callen, how are you doing?" Granger asked.

"Fine," Callen replied. "I'm getting out of the ICU."

"Why that's wonderful news," Hetty said, but after observing him closely, she could tell by his tone and the look on his face that there was something more. "But?"

"The doctor wants me to get an ultrasound. It's probably no big deal though."

Hetty waited, but he didn't elaborate any further. "Is there a reason for this?" she finally asked once she realized waiting patiently wasn't going to work on him.

"There's some blood in my urine…He said it's most likely nothing, but he wants to make sure."

Hetty kept her expression calm and cool as she gently patted his hand. She could see that he was anxious and truth be told, she was as well, but worrying wasn't going to help. "Try not to worry, Grisha," she said softly, his name coming to her a little more easily now. "You're doing much better. I think everything will be fine."

He nodded and smiled faintly, but his blue eyes looked sad. "What time is Sam coming?" he asked. He already knew his visit with Kensi and Deeks was going to be interrupted. Someone would likely be coming to bring him down for the ultrasound when they were there. On the positive side though, once he was in a regular room, there would no longer be a two visitor limit.

At that moment, Hetty was tempted to call Sam and bring him back right then, but she decided to wait it out. She didn't want to wake him if he was finally managing to get some rest. If he happened to come back early though, contrary to what she had told him that morning, she would be quite happy to see him. "He should be here by seven," she answered.

Callen nodded. Seven o'clock. That wasn't too bad. Despite what he'd told Hetty previously, he was very glad Sam was still in Seattle.

Just then, a blonde nurse came in with a plastic pitcher and cup which she placed on his tray. "Here's the water the doctor wants you to drink before your ultrasound," she said with a perky smile. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No thank you," he said, shaking his head. "This is fine."

"Okay, just buzz if you need me."

The nurse left the room and Callen picked up the pitcher and poured some water into the glass, his hand shaking slightly as he did so. Afraid he was going to drop it, he quickly put it back down on the tray. Damn, he was weak. He wondered how long it was going to take to fully recover. Hetty and Granger were both just watching him in silence. Granger looked extremely uncomfortable. "What?" Callen finally asked, shifting his gaze from one to the other. He felt like a specimen under a magnifying glass, especially with Granger. It was just very awkward. He'd be glad when Kensi and Deeks got there. "Why don't you just sit down and go back to your reading."

Hetty nodded and returned to her chair. Granger opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something, but then closed it again and also took a seat. Callen began to slowly sip his water and turned the television back on, just to kill the silence in the room.

xxxxx

Jeff Anderson took his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed the speed dial then put the phone to his ear. "Hey it's me," he whispered when the voice at the other end of the line answered.

"I hope you have something important to tell me," the man's voice said.

"I installed the listening device like you requested," Jeff said, "and it paid off. The doctor is sending him for an ultrasound in a little under an hour. This may be your chance to snatch him."

"That doesn't give us much time."

"No, it doesn't," Jeff said, "but I thought you'd want to know."

"You thought correctly," the voice said. "Be on standby. We'll see you very soon…"


	15. Chapter 15

After he left the hospital, Sam had done as Hetty had directed. He had taken a taxi to the hotel and bought himself a spicy green papaya salad and a drink before heading upstairs. He soon discovered that his room wasn't just any ordinary room, but rather an executive suite with a beautiful view of the city. There was also a separate bedroom which had a king-sized bed with a pillow top mattress and seven pillows. Hetty had definitely outdone herself. If he hadn't been so worried about G, he would have really enjoyed it, but how could he when his partner was still so sick and the target of some nameless, faceless enemy? He sat in the living room and ate his salad as he looked out the window at the view of the Space Needle. He had to say it was pretty impressive. He knew there was a rotating restaurant inside. Maybe their team could go there before they left Seattle. It would be a nice treat after all they had gone through. He smiled at the thought of it, allowing himself to think of something pleasant for a few moments.

He was startled by the sudden ring of his new cell phone. His thoughts instantly went to a dark place, fearing something bad had happened to his partner. He quickly grabbed the phone and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Michelle's number on the caller ID. "Hey baby," he said as he clicked on the phone. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Sam. How are you?"

Sam could detect the worried undertones in Michelle's voice and he wondered just what Hetty had told his wife. "I'm good too. How's Kamran? Is she doing okay?"

"Well, she misses you. We both do, but she's fine," Michelle replied. "She's playing over at Bridget's house."

"That's good…" Sam said. Bridget was Kamran's best friend, a sweet little girl. He was glad that his daughter was able to go about her daily life and not be affected by what went on with him. He couldn't help but be a little disappointed that she wasn't home though. He would have liked to have spoken with her.

"Sam, Hetty said…"

Sam felt his anger flare up as he interrupted his wife. "I don't care what Hetty said. She is overreacting. Fine, I admit I'm tired, but she doesn't have to treat me like some little kid that needs to be told what to do. I would have been perfectly fine to stay with G. I could have slept there. The chair wasn't that bad."

Michelle started laughing. "Oh Sam, I was just going to say that Hetty said Callen is doing better."

"Oh…" Sam said and then chuckled as some of the tension left his body. "Yeah…yeah he is doing better, but he's still in danger and we have no idea who is after him."

"You'll find whoever it is, Sam…" She paused and then went on. "I guess I should let you go. Hetty said she sent you to a hotel to get some rest."

"Yeah, she forced me," Sam said, his tone disgruntled.

"She's only doing what she thinks is best for you. You know how much she worries about your team."

"I understand that, but G needs me right now. He's unable to defend himself."

"He'll be protected until you get back there Sam. Try not to worry. And Sam? When you do go back to the hospital, please be careful. I want you back home in one piece."

"I'll be careful. Give baby girl a kiss for me."

"I will. Tell Callen I'm thinking of him and I hope he recovers quickly."

"I'll tell him. I love you, baby."

"Love you too."

Sam clicked off his phone and looked out at the view for a few more minutes before he headed into the bathroom to shower. He had to admit the hot water felt extremely good as it pelted down on his sore muscles. After the shower, he toweled himself off and put on some sweats Hetty had provided. He then stretched out on the luxurious bed and was asleep almost immediately.

xxxxx

"Are you sure Bertha isn't just a figment of your overactive imagination?" Kensi asked Deeks who was grinning boyishly at her.

"Of course not," he said. "Don't you think cafeteria ladies deserve time off too? She can't be here all the time." He dipped a French fry into a pool of ketchup on his plate and put it into his mouth.

Kensi took a bite of her burger as she looked around the cafeteria. She had to admit, it felt good just to be out in public having lunch. After all that had taken place, it was nice to be doing something ordinary. "I can't wait to get discharged tomorrow," she said before taking a long sip of her soda through the straw.

"It hasn't been too bad, has it?" Deeks asked. "Private room, a devastatingly handsome roommate who fulfills your every whim…"

"My every whim?" Kensi asked. "I can't really recall asking you for anything at all."

"Maybe not," Deeks admitted, "but if you had, I would have taken care of it right away, no questions asked."

Kensi took a fry off Deeks' plate and chewed it thoughtfully. "We need to get Callen something at the gift shop," she said after she had swallowed.

"Like what?" Deeks asked. "You can't have flowers in the ICU. Besides, I don't think Callen is really a flowers kind of guy."

"I didn't say anything about flowers. I'm sure there are other things we can get him. He deserves a gift to brighten his spirits."

"How do you know his spirits need brightening?" Deeks asked. "How do you even know he's awake?"

Kensi shot him an annoyed look. "I'm sure with everything he's gone through that he could use something to lift his spirits, Deeks. It will let him know we're thinking of him. Are you saying we shouldn't get him a present?"

Deeks shook his head. "No. Of course not, Kensi…" He sighed, unsure why he was giving her a hard time. Maybe he was just overtired. "I don't really know what I'm saying. You're right. We'll get him something. We can stop there after we've finished lunch."

"Good." She smiled to herself as she resumed eating her food. She really hoped that Callen was awake and doing better. She was looking forward to seeing him.

When they had finished their lunch, Kensi pushed her wheelchair back from the table and they headed off to the gift shop. "So…what do you get for the man who has nothing?" Deeks asked with a grin as they looked around.

"Well, we know we can't get flowers. I don't think balloons are allowed on the ICU either," Kensi said. She set her sights on a brown teddy bear wearing a blue sweater that said "Get Well" on it. "That's cute. Let's get that."

Deeks made a face but nodded. "Sure…yeah, I guess so. Doesn't Callen call Sam "Teddy" sometimes when he's trying to get under his skin? I think we need something else though. Maybe magazines or a book?"

"Magazines are good," Kensi said as she began to move her wheelchair over to that section of the gift shop. "What kind do you think we should get?"

"I don't know…He's really not a very easy person to buy for. "Sports Illustrated" would be good, I think."

Kensi nodded. "Puzzles?" she asked as she picked up a crossword puzzle magazine from the bottom shelf.

"Playboy," Deeks said, grinning as he grabbed the latest issue.

"No," Kensi stated.

"Why not?" Deeks asked. "That's something he'd actually like. Some of the models might be wearing teddies. That can be our theme."

"It's not appropriate," said Kensi. "We're not getting him that."

"What do you want to get him?" Deeks asked, rolling his eyes. "Woman's Day" and "Good Housekeeping"?

Kensi glared at him.

"Fine." Deeks placed it back on the shelf. "How about "Maxim?"

"Alright," Kensi agreed as she grabbed issues of "Time" and "Reader's Digest," as well.

"We could get him some chocolates or something for when he's feeling better," Deeks suggested.

Kensi shook her head. "No. Let's bring him those when he actually is feeling better. It's just a tease when he can't eat them right away."

"Okay, I guess we have enough for now then," Deeks said. "Once he's out of the ICU we can get him something better. And once he's eating we can bring him good stuff to eat and drink instead of hospital food. "

Kensi nodded and Deeks went to over to the cashier to pay for the bear and the magazines. After that, the two headed off to the ICU.

xxxxx

Callen put down the partly full cup, feeling bloated and slightly nauseous. He'd gotten through about two and a half cups of water and was pretty sure he had reached his limit. The doctor had said not to make himself sick drinking it so he decided to stop.

"Had enough, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked. She had been watching him while trying to pretend that she was reading but she was no longer able to concentrate on the book.

He nodded. "Yes. I don't think I can drink anymore."

"I'm sure what you've had is more than sufficient," Hetty said. She didn't say that she thought he had drank the water much too quickly. She was sure mentioning that would only serve to irritate him.

He looked at the clock and saw that it was quarter to three. God, time was just really dragging. He hoped that Kensi and Deeks came at three rather than four or he was going to miss them entirely. He shifted restlessly, wincing a bit at the pain the movement caused him, then took his too flat pillow and unsuccessfully tried to fluff it up. He hoped the bed on the surgical ward was more comfortable than this one, but he had a feeling that wouldn't be the case.

Hetty gave him a sympathetic look, but at this point she really wasn't sure of anything she could do that would make him feel any better. Hopefully, the arrival of Kensi and Deeks would at least serve to distract him a little bit.

He had turned the television set off for the second time but now turned it back on once again. Granger looked up from the newspaper but forced himself to remain silent. It was Callen's room, after all, and he hadn't asked for them to be there. However, when Callen turned it off once again after having gone through all the channels at lightning speed, he couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Agent Callen, is there something I can get for you?" he asked.

Callen turned towards Granger a slight smile on his lips. "No sir, why do you ask?" he asked innocently.

Granger stared at Callen, unsure if he was deliberately toying with him or not. "No reason…just wondering," he finally said, not willing to participate in whatever game Callen was attempting to engage him in.

Callen looked back at Granger for a few long moments and then turned his eyes away. He wasn't sure what he had been hoping Granger would do, but it hadn't been that. Realizing he wasn't going to accomplish anything, he allowed his eyes to close and slipped into a light doze.

xxxxx

Kensi quietly wheeled into Callen's ICU room with Deeks behind her carrying the bag from the gift shop. "How's he doing?" she whispered to Hetty and Granger.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Callen opened his eyes and smiled at Kensi.

"Callen!" Kensi happily returned his smile. "You're awake! You look wonderful."

"You really do," Deeks said, smiling at the agent. "Heck of a lot better than you looked yesterday."

Yeah, well I'm feeling much better," Callen said looking happily at the two team members. "It's really good to see you both."

"Speaking of that…" Deeks turned his gaze towards Hetty and Granger. "The head nurse out there informed me that the two visitor ICU rule is to be observed, no exceptions. Now's your chance to take a break if you want."

Granger got to his feet followed by Hetty. "If you deem anything to be the least bit suspicious, do not hesitate to contact us," he said to Deeks.

"We're going out to run an errand…" But suddenly Hetty felt apprehensive about leaving Callen. "Unless perhaps we should just stay in the waiting room?" she asked, turning her eyes toward Granger.

"I'll be fine, Hetty," Callen assured here. "Nothing's going to happen."

Hetty nodded. "Alright…we won't be long," she said and she and Granger headed out.

"You were right about him needing some kind of electronic device to keep him occupied," Granger said, shaking his head as they started down the hallway to leave the ICU. "Boy, were you right."

Hetty smiled as she heard Callen laughing at something Deeks or Kensi had said. It was the best sound she had heard in days. "I think having his team with him is probably the best medicine he can have right now."

xxxxx

"So, are you really doing okay, Kensi?" Callen asked, looking at her with obvious concern in his eyes. "I heard you had to have surgery."

Kensi nodded. "I'm good, Callen. I've already started getting around on crutches. Deeks just thought it was too far to be going around the hospital without a wheelchair."

"And I was right, Kensalina," Deeks said.

"Yes, Deeks, you were right." Kensi nodded agreeably.

"Oh, by the way, I need to get an ultrasound, just a routine thing," Callen said casually. "So someone's going to be coming up to transport me down there soon. Just to let you know…"

"Oh that kind of sucks," Deeks said.

"We're not going to have much time," said Kensi with a sigh, obviously disappointed.

"I am getting moved out of the ICU though," Callen said. "So I'll have a room on the surgical floor afterwards and no more two visitor limit. Sam should be back here around 7."

"That's great news," Kensi said, her expression brightening.

"I'm happy about it," Callen said.

"So we can come back later," Deeks said. "You think Hetty and Granger are still going to be around?"

"I'm not sure," Callen replied. "Probably."

"So what's it like?" Deeks asked. "Being under Granger's protection?"

Callen shrugged. "He means well…"

"But?"

"I don't know…" said Callen. "I guess it's a little annoying having someone watch every move I make, but Sam can't be here all the time and I do realize I'm not exactly in shape to be fending off attackers right now…" For someone who was used to taking care of himself, it was a hard thing to have to admit, but he knew it was the truth. At least for the time being, he needed to depend on others for protection.

"Still no idea of who could be behind all this?" Kensi asked.

Callen shook his head. "Honestly, I haven't put a whole lot of effort into trying to figure it out yet. I'm still really tired and it's been kind of hard to focus…"

"Of course it is," Kensi said, giving him an encouraging smile. "You've been through a lot both physically and mentally. It's going to take some time to recover from all that."

"Yeah…I do need to try to figure it out though…" he said. "Nobody can do it for me…"

The three agents went silent for a few long moments before Deeks remembered the gifts. "Hey, we brought you something," he said, passing the bag over to Callen.

"Callen took the bag and opened it. The first thing he pulled out was the bear. "Thanks, guys," he said.

"We know it's not much," Kensi said, sounding apologetic.

"It's great, really," Callen attempted to reassure her.

"We were pretty sure you don't already have one," Deeks said with a grin.

"I definitely don't have one," Callen said, smiling.

"We thought he'd remind you of Sam," Deeks said.

Callen smirked.

"I didn't say that. That came from Deeks alone," Kensi stated. "There are some magazines too."

"And these are perfect," Callen said as he took them out of the bag and took a quick look at them. "I can definitely use something to help pass the time. I kept turning the t.v. on and off earlier. I thought Granger was going to strangle me."

"Yeah, I can't imagine he'd be thrilled with that," Deeks commented with an amused look.

"Well now that you'll be in a regular room, we'll be able to see you more often," Kensi said, smiling.

Just then, two attendants wearing scrubs, one male, one female, entered the room. "Mr. Callen? We're here to take you down for an ultrasound." the male attendant said.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, I've been expecting you." He turned to Kensi and Deeks. "Thanks for coming guys. I'll see you later?"

Deeks turned to Kensi, his eyes questioning. He didn't even have to verbalize it as she nodded. "Go," she said. "I'll just meet you back at my room when you're done."

"Okay, I'll see you later." He gave her a brief kiss on her lips as the attendants helped Callen transfer onto the gurney and they left the ICU cubicle.

Jeff Anderson was still standing guard outside the room. "Do you want me to come along?" he asked.

Deeks looked at Callen who shrugged. "Sure. I guess so," Deeks replied.

They left the ICU and the attendants pushed Callen's gurney past the main elevator and down a long corridor to another elevator. "Why are we going this way?" Deeks asked.

"This is the quickest way to get to Ultrasound," the male attendant answered. "Unless you have a better way to go?"

"Uh no…this is fine," Deeks said, watching as the female attendant pressed the down button. A short time later, the elevator doors opened and the small group stepped inside.

Deeks couldn't help but feel uneasy in the elevator. He could feel his heartbeat accelerate and he was starting to feel a little bit anxious. He looked at Callen to see if the other man shared his feeling but he appeared woozy and didn't seem to be paying much attention to his surroundings. He observed the attendants but neither of them was acting particularly suspiciously. He discreetly checked his weapon, ensuring that it was within easy reach if he needed it. He then took a deep breath to calm himself and just focus on the task at hand, getting Callen safely to his ultrasound. Finally, the elevator reached the designated floor. The doors opened and Deeks stepped out into the corridor in front of Callen's gurney.

They never stood a chance.

The second Deeks walked out of the elevator, his head was viciously slammed with a pistol from someone who came up beside him from outside the elevator. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.

"De…" Callen's adrenaline kicked in when he saw Deeks go down, but a large hand was clamped down over his mouth and another set of hands roughly held him down. "Drug him, Alyssa, hurry up," one of the men whispered harshly. Callen's eyes swept the area in search of someone to help them, but the general vicinity appeared deserted except for the assailants who had suddenly multiplied. He struggled to get away, however he was outnumbered and much too weak. He watched helplessly as the contents of a syringe were injected into his IV. The last thing he saw was Deeks' limp body being dragged towards a supply closet before he succumbed to the effects of whatever he had been injected with.


	16. Chapter 16

After Deeks had accompanied Callen and the transfer team out of the room, Kensi spent a few minutes browsing through the magazines they had bought for Callen. It was then that she realized they hadn't thought to bring him any pens. She decided to go back to the gift shop to get some. While at the gift shop, she thought about what Callen had said about how tired he was and decided to get a word search magazine in case he wasn't yet up to focusing on crossword puzzles. After making her purchase, she went back up to the ICU. As she passed the front desk, she noticed a group of nurses talking in hushed voices but didn't really think anything of it. She put the magazine and pens with the rest of Callen's belongings and was on her way out of the room when one of the nurses approached her.

"Excuse me, Miss," she said. "Were you visiting with Mr. Callen earlier?"

Kensi nodded. "He went down for an ultrasound. I was just leaving something for him."

The nurse nodded grimly. "Yes, that's where he was supposed to go, but I'm afraid he never arrived."

"No, that can't be. I was here when they came to transport him…" Even as she spoke the words, Kensi knew something very bad had occurred. She had just taken out her cell phone to call Hetty when she saw her and Granger approaching.

"Hetty. Something's wrong. Callen never arrived to get his ultrasound."

Hetty's face immediately paled. "Are you sure, Kensi?" she asked. Granger immediately pulled out his cell phone and stepped away.

The nurse who had spoken to Kensi turned to Hetty. "A transport team came to get him, but he wasn't in his room. We called down to Ultrasound, but no one there has seen him."

"Oh Hetty, a transport team did come to get Callen but they must have been imposters. Deeks and the agent who was guarding Callen went with him." Kensi shook her head in obvious dismay.

"Hetty patted Kensi's arm supportively. "I'm sure we will get to the bottom of this," she said, but the expression on her face belied her words. Already she knew they had botched this protection detail horribly and now not only Callen was missing, but Deeks and Anderson as well.

"I called Beale," Granger said as he walked back over to the two women. "He and Nell are going to tap into the hospital surveillance footage." He turned to the nurse who had been speaking to them. "Have you notified Security?"

The nurse nodded. "Yes, someone from their office will be here any moment."

Kensi turned her wheelchair and moved away from the small group, trying to keep her emotions under control. Multiple scenarios of what could have happened kept running through her mind, each one more gruesome than the previous one. She mentally cursed her broken ankle, knowing that she would have accompanied Callen and Deeks if the circumstances had been different. Then again, if circumstances were different, maybe none of this would have happened and they all would be safe and sound in Los Angeles.

Hetty walked over to Kensi and looked at the younger woman with concern in her eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

Kensi sighed as she shook her head. She didn't want to talk about her feelings. She needed to keep them tightly bottled up inside. Turning into a blubbering mess would not help Deeks or Callen. "Sam needs to know what's happening," she said after a long silence.

Hetty nodded. "I'm going to go to the hotel to tell him. I really don't think this is something I should say over the phone." She turned to Granger. "Owen, can I borrow the car? I need to go inform Mr. Hanna of what's transpired."

Granger nodded as he pulled the keys from his pocket. "Do you want me to go with you?" he asked, not really looking like he wanted to.

"No," Hetty said, shaking her head. "I think its best you stay here. Hopefully, you will get some kind of a lead on what's happened."

"Alright," Granger said, looking a tad relieved at being let off the hook.

"I'll be back soon," Hetty said to Kensi who nodded. Then Hetty headed off to face the lion in his den.

xxxxx

Sam woke up at 4:45 feeling much better than he had earlier. He leisurely stretched his muscles then glanced at his cell phone just to make sure he hadn't somehow missed a call. He was relieved to see that he hadn't. No calls meant that everything was good with G. He slowly sat up and decided to get dressed. He didn't really care what Hetty said. He'd eaten, he'd showered, he'd gotten some sleep and he would grab something to eat for dinner a little bit later. He wasn't waiting any longer. He was going back to the hospital now. He'd been away from his partner for long enough.

He had just finished dressing when he heard a rapping on his hotel room door. "Who could that be?" he murmured as he headed to the door. He looked through the peephole and his heart sunk when he saw Hetty standing outside the door. He took a deep breath and slowly released it then opened the door. He already knew that something terrible had happened to his partner.

"Mr. Hanna," Hetty said, staring up at him with sorrowful eyes.

Sam shook his head, his emotions already threatening to brim over. "G's not… please tell me he didn't…"

"Mr. Callen is alive, Sam… well as far as we know…"

"As far as you know? What the hell, Hetty. What happened to him?" Distress turned to anger in the blink of an eye. He clenched both fists tightly in an attempt to restrain himself.

"May I come in?" Hetty asked, trying to keep cool despite being the direct target of Sam's wrath. "I'd rather not discuss this in the hallway."

He wordlessly stood aside so that Hetty could enter the suite and watched as she made her way over to the sofa and sat down. He closed the door and followed her.

"Please Sam, take a seat," she directed softly.

At first he refused. He just stood there, glaring at the diminutive woman, but then he realized he needed to know what she knew. He sat down, albeit reluctantly, in a blue, overstuffed chair, directly facing her. "Tell me."

"Mr. Callen was going for an ultrasound. Mr. Deeks and Agent Anderson accompanied him. I…" she hesitated before going on. "Evidently, the team that came to transfer him were imposters...he never arrived at the ultrasound department."

"Why was Deeks with him? I thought you and Granger were supposed to be watching his back?" He ran his hand over his face, still trying to take in what she was saying. "Why was G getting an ultrasound to begin with?"

"The doctor discovered some blood in his urine during his checkup. He wanted to check it out…"

Sam nodded. That wasn't good. "And why weren't you and Granger there?"

She remained silent. The reason she had decided to leave the hospital seemed very unimportant in light of what had happened.

"Hetty?"

"Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks wanted to visit with Mr. Callen and as you know, only two visitors are allowed at a time in the ICU. Mr. Callen was very bored…I decided to take advantage of the break to go get him a tablet or small computer for him to entertain himself…"

Sam stared at her in disbelief. "You decided? And what about Granger? Did he go with you?"

Hetty nodded.

"I don't get it," Sam said as he stood up and started to pace through the room. "You both needed to go and get him a tablet or whatever you were going to get for him? It's not like G asked for it, did he? He could have waited or you could have called me, Hetty. I gladly would have stopped to get one before I went back to the hospital." He could understand her wanting to get G something. He knew how his partner got when he was bored, but at the very least Granger should have stayed behind and accompanied G to get the ultrasound.

"You'll never know how sorry I am, Sam," Hetty said. "We thought Mr. Callen was adequately protected."

"Well he wasn't."

"No…no he wasn't," Hetty said.

"I mean, I could understand if Kensi and Deeks were okay, but they're not. Deeks has one good arm and Kensi has one good leg." Sam was getting more and more frustrated. "Where are Deeks and Anderson anyhow?"

"They are also unaccounted for," Hetty admitted.

"So Deeks is gone too? That's just great." This just kept getting better and better. Sam shook his head in disgust before he looked at her accusingly, his voice on the verge of shouting. "I NEVER would have left him, Hetty! You said you'd keep him safe!"

The look Sam gave Hetty cut her to the quick but she knew he had every right to feel the way he did. She felt that way herself. She deeply regretted ever having left the hospital. She blamed herself for anything that might have happened to Callen and Deeks. "I'm sorry I made you leave him, Sam," she said quietly.

"I'm going back to the hospital." Sam ignored her apology. It wasn't anything he would be accepting any time soon, not before Callen was safe and sound anyway.

"I have a rental car parked down in the garage," Hetty stated.

"Fine, let's go." He was really in no mood at all to sit in a car with Hetty right then, but it was the fastest and most efficient way to return to the hospital and that was all he cared about at the moment, trying to find out what had happened to his missing team members as quickly as possible.

xxxxx

Sam and Hetty met up with Granger and Kensi in the security office. "Anything yet?" Sam asked Granger, his eyes cold as he faced the other man.

"Not yet," Granger replied. "Eric and Nell are searching through surveillance footage and the staff here is going through it as well.

"How are you doing Kensi?" Sam asked as he bent down to give her a hug.

"I have to admit, I'm really scared, Sam…just when things were starting to get better, this had to happen…" Kensi said, returning his comforting gesture and hugging him tightly. "Are you holding up okay?"

"Just worried."

"Hopefully they'll find something soon."

"Guess he's not very happy with us," Granger said to Hetty as she walked over to him.

"Can you blame him, Owen?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No…no I can't. I obviously underestimated what, whoever this is, was capable of.

"As did I," Hetty said.

"Well, regrets aren't going to help us now. Our main objective right now is to get our people back safely."

"Agreed."

Sam and Kensi stayed separate from Hetty and Granger until Granger's phone rang. "It's Beale," he announced and Sam and Kensi quickly joined them. "I'm going to put you on speaker, Eric. Hetty, Sam and Kensi are with me."

"I'm going to send some video footage to your phone, Assistant Director," Eric said. "I'm afraid it's not very easy to watch."

"Just send it," Granger ordered.

Moments later, the video footage arrived on Granger's phone. The team members all gathered around to watch. "Deeks!" Kensi was the first to react when she saw him fall to the floor, unconscious, after being struck. "Oh no."

They continued to watch in dismay as Callen was held down and then drugged. Sam felt sick to his stomach as he watched his partner struggling to get away, but helpless to do so. "I'm so sorry, G," he whispered. His only consolation was that they had abducted him rather than just killing him on the spot.

Granger was watching the grainy footage closely as he tried to wrap his head around what was being shown. "Is that…that's Anderson holding Callen down..."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed. "Go back."

Granger set the video back and they all watched closely, seeing what Granger had seen.

"Anderson's dirty," Sam growled. "Son of a bitch."

"Keep watching," Kensi demanded. "They're dragging Deeks towards that closet."

"Where is this?" Granger asked the head security officer. "Can you take us there?"

The security officer nodded and he led them quickly down multiple hallways with Sam pushing Kensi's wheelchair. She was very pale and had her hands clasped tightly together in her lap. Granger had taken Eric off speaker phone and was still talking to him as they walked. "Can you get traffic cam footage?" he asked.

"Already working on it," Eric replied. "They transferred Callen into a dark blue Ram cargo van, license plate number COD626."

"Get in touch with the Seattle Police Department and have them put out an APB on Callen and that van," Granger commanded as they finally reached the same elevator that Deeks and Callen had been in. They all stepped inside and there was tense silence until the elevator doors opened.

"Blood," Kensi whispered, her eyes immediately drawn to the spot where Deeks had fallen.

Sam rushed ahead of the group and pulled open the closet door then knelt down besides Deeks who was lying in a heap on the floor. "Deeks? Deeks can you hear me?" Sam asked, putting his hand gently on the younger man's shoulder, but taking care not to move him.

"Sam?" Kensi had wheeled up behind him and was anxiously watching Deeks for some sign of awareness.

"Sir? Can you let us in there?" Sam glanced up to see a couple of medical attendants and reluctantly moved out of the way as they began to attend to Deeks.

"He's going to be okay, Kensi," Sam said supportively as he stood beside her.

Kensi was silent. Sam didn't know that, nobody did. She mentally began to pray that Deeks would be okay. She couldn't lose him, she just couldn't.

"How is he?" she asked once the attendants had secured Deeks to a backboard and then efficiently transferred him to a gurney.

"His vital signs are stable," one of them answered. "We're taking him to the ER so a physician can examine him."

"But he's still unconscious…that's not good…"

"A doctor will be able to tell you more, Miss," the other attendant replied. "We really need to go now though."

Kensi watched as they quickly began to move her boyfriend down the hallway in the direction of the ER. She was trying hard to hold back tears. Deeks looked so vulnerable. It really scared her to see him like this.

"Come on, Kensi, I'll take you to the ER," Sam said gently. "Let me know right away if there's any word on G," he directed frostily at Hetty and Granger before he began pushing Kensi's wheelchair to follow the attendants.


	17. Chapter 17

Sam sat in one of the ER waiting room chairs, hoping that word of Deeks' condition would come soon. Kensi had finally finished giving Deeks' insurance information to the ER staff and was now sitting beside Sam in her wheelchair.

"Sam?" Kensi asked softly after they had been sitting silently for about 15 minutes.

"Yeah, what is it, Kensi?" he asked, turning his head to give her his complete attention.

"You seem angry…"

"Yeah, you could say that," he stated, not elaborating further.

"Are you mad at Deeks?" she asked, looking extremely worried. "None of this was his fault."

"No, no, I'm not mad at Deeks." He reached for her hand and took it, squeezing it reassuringly. "I know this wasn't Deeks' fault."

"So… who are you angry with?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't really feel like talking about this right now."

"Is it Hetty and Granger?" she persisted. "Because Callen encouraged Hetty to leave. He said nothing would happen."

"Really Kensi?" Sam snapped at her, his anger flaring quickly. "So you're saying this is G's fault?"

"Now you're being ridiculous," Kensi said. "Of course it's not his fault. It's no one's fault except the people who abducted him."

"Hetty forced me to leave. She shouldn't have."

"What do you think would have happened if you had been there?" Kensi asked. "Anderson, one man and one woman were in the elevator. Outside the elevator there were three more assailants, all of them armed. Even if it had been you and Granger, two on six is very bad odds, Sam and you would have had to try to protect Callen as well. You probably all would have ended up dead. I thank God that they didn't just shoot Deeks when he stepped off that elevator." She inwardly shuddered at the visions that had been constantly in her head since the newest chapter of this horror story had begun.

"You don't understand…I still should have been there…"

"Yes, well I think Michelle, Aidan and Kamran would beg to differ, Sam. They love you and they want you to return home to them." Kensi was speaking more gently now. "Hopefully, we'll get a lead on Callen really soon and get him back safely."

Sam wanted to say that if the tables were turned, if it was Deeks, that Kensi would have felt the same way he did, but he decided just to let it go. He didn't want to quarrel with her and he definitely didn't want to make her any more upset than she already was. He was silent for a little bit but then spoke quietly. "How was he doing…before this all happened?"

"Callen?"

He nodded.

"He was good, Sam," Kensi said, a trace of a smile on her face. "He was getting out of the ICU later today and he was looking forward to all of us being able to visit together."

"He was getting transferred out of ICU? I didn't know that," Sam said. "I guess he was doing better…I never really got to talk to him after he regained consciousness," he hung his head with a deep sigh. "He fell back asleep almost right away…and then Hetty made me leave before he woke up again…"

"I am sorry, Sam…" Kensi said, giving him a heartfelt look. "We just have to hope and pray that we'll find him soon and that he'll be okay…"

"Hello, I'm Dr. Lawson. Are you here for Martin Deeks?" a voice interrupted their conversation. They looked up to see a tall, distinguished looking middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and a kind expression on his face.

"Yes, I am…we are," Kensi said, looking up at the doctor with anxious eyes. "How is he?"

"He's starting to come around. I thought it might be helpful if one of you was with him."

"I'll wait here," Sam said as Kensi gave him a grateful look and turned her wheelchair around to follow the doctor.

xxxxx

"Deeks? Deeks, can you hear me?" Kensi gently took his hand and brought it to her lips then clasped it between both of her hands. "I'm right here…everything's going to be okay."

"Ooooh…" Deeks groaned softly, but his eyes remained closed.

"Come on Deeks, open those baby blues for me," Kensi encouraged. "Please?"

Deeks tried to open his eyes, but quickly closed them again due to the brightness in the room. Dr. Lawson, who was standing on the opposite end of the bed from Kensi, quickly dimmed the light.

"Its okay, Deeks. The doctor turned down the light."

"Never could resist you, Fern." Deeks smiled softly and finally managed to get his eyes open.

"How are you?" Kensi asked, blinking back tears. "I've been so worried."

"Hey, I'm okay. Don't cry." He brushed away a tear on her cheek which had escaped her attempt to hold them back.

"Mr. Deeks? I'm Dr. Lawson. Sorry to interrupt, but I need to examine you." Deeks nodded his assent and the doctor went on to perform a series of tests to assess Deeks' mental status, motor and neurological functions. "Well, you seem to be doing pretty well," he said after he had completed the bedside tests. "But you were unconscious for quite some time. I'm going to send you for a CT scan. I'll be back after I set it up."

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Kensi asked after Dr. Lawson had left them alone.

"Nah," Deeks said, smiling. "I've got a pretty hard head."

Kensi nodded but found herself almost on the verge of tears yet again. "I'm sorry," she said, trying to get herself under control. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Come on, Kensi," Deeks said soothingly. "Look at everything you've been through in the past week. You have every right to be upset. I'm surprised you haven't broken down long before now."

"I just…we saw the surveillance footage and…God, Deeks…they could have killed you."

"Callen…" Deeks stared at her, suddenly hit with the memory of their team leader lying virtually helpless on the gurney in the elevator. "Kensi, is he alright?"

She bit her lip and shook her head, tears falling once again. "We don't know…they…they took him…"

Deeks closed his eyes, visibly upset. "Damn it."

Kensi gave him a few moments to compose himself, seeing how affected he was. "There wasn't anything you could have done," she finally whispered.

He nodded, but she could see he didn't really believe what she was telling him.

"Deeks?"

"I didn't protect him," he murmured as he opened his eyes again.

"Oh Deeks, you couldn't…" She put her head on the bed next to him with her arm resting on his chest. "They would have killed you. You were all alone in this. Anderson was working with them too." He didn't say anything, but he gently stroked her hair and she knew he was listening to her. "I love you," she said as she raised her head to meet his eyes. "We'll find Callen…I know we will…"

xxxxx

Coldness.

That was the first sensation Callen felt as he began to regain consciousness. He found himself shivering and realized he was lying on his side in a puddle of icy cold water. He had a dull headache which he assumed was a side effect of whatever drug they had used to knock him out with. He opened his eyes and saw nothing…only blackness. He went to move and realized his hands were bound in front of him and his feet were tied as well. He was still wearing his hospital gown and his feet were bare. His catheter and IV were both gone. He didn't even want to think about who had removed the catheter or how they had done it. He took a deep breath and painstakingly got into a sitting position, trying to ignore the pain in his abdomen. The wet hospital gown clung to his skin and made him feel even colder. He began working on the ropes binding his feet, but his fingers were freezing and his movements clumsy, especially with the way his hands were tied. He kept raising his hands to his mouth to try to warm them with his breath, but it proved to be mostly a futile gesture.

He froze when he saw them…two tiny yellow lights which glowed vibrantly in contrast to the blackness which surrounded them. He watched as they slowly grew larger and brighter. His heartbeat and his breathing both began to accelerate as he waited for whoever was approaching to arrive. He would have given anything to be untied with a weapon in his possession. He felt much too vulnerable like this. He knew he was pretty much defenseless against his captors. He finally could see that there were three figures approaching, two of them carrying lanterns. He silently watched as they got closer and closer, his anxiety steadily rising. The lanterns were illuminating the area and he now saw that he was in some sort of a large cave or underground passage with bumpy stone walls as far as he could see.

Finally they reached him. He recognized two of the people as the fraudulent transport members who had taken him from the ICU. He didn't recognize the other man who spoke. "Agent Callen…I am so happy to see you're finally awake. I'm afraid the drug we used kept you asleep a little bit longer than we expected, probably because of your weakened physical condition. I have to say it caused quite a bit of complaining from my men who were carrying you.

"Sorry to have inconvenienced them," Callen said sarcastically.

"No worries," the man said with an insincere smile. "They dropped you a few times, but lucky for you, you weren't awake to even notice."

"What's this about?" Callen snapped. He was tired of the shenanigans, tired of everything that had happened over this past lousy week. He just wanted to be back with his team, home in Los Angeles.

The smile left the man's face as he suddenly grabbed Callen's tied hands. He raised them up away from his body then viciously kicked Callen in the stomach. Callen doubled over in pain but refused to make a sound. "I give the orders here, not you," the man growled.

"Who the hell are you?" Callen asked defiantly, but received another hard kick for an answer.

"You don't listen very well, do you," the man commented as he let go of Callen's hands. "You'd better start listening or you'll be dead even sooner than I'd planned."

Callen wisely remained quiet as he put his hands protectively against his abdomen. He could see this nut job, whoever he was, had a very short fuse.

"Good boy," the man said, nodding approvingly. "You learn quickly." He just stood there, staring at Callen, almost as if he was daring him to speak again. Callen didn't bite, however. He forced his eyes away from the man and turned his gaze toward the other two people who were with him. The other man was maybe a little bit younger than the one who was speaking, but not by very much. They looked alike so he was guessing they were brothers. He could see that the woman was considerably younger, now that he had a chance to look at her. While the men appeared to be in their late 30s or early 40s, he guessed the woman to only be in her 20s, if that. There was a hard look on her face that made it difficult to tell.

"I give you permission to speak," the man said, seemingly disappointed that Callen had not done so. "Ask a question, make it count."

Callen pondered that for a few moments and finally answered him. "What's the reason for all this?" he asked quietly.

"Good question!" The man exclaimed. "First of all, let me introduce myself." He gave a mock bow as Callen stared at him incredulously. "My name is Jonathan Page. This is my brother Robert and our niece Alyssa."

Callen didn't respond as searched his memories, trying to place the names, but couldn't come up with anything.

When Callen didn't react, Jonathan began. "It all started a long time ago…13 years, to be exact…" he paused dramatically and Callen had to force himself not to roll his eyes. This guy was a real piece of work. He waited, trying to be patient. The man glared at him and finally continued. "We had another brother, Joe. He was my twin. His wife at the time, Alyssa's mother, decided to be a bitch and take her away from her father." He turned to the young woman and gently patted her back as she stared down at the ground. "He finally managed to track her down in a rural town in New Hampshire. She was a teacher."

Callen's eyes widened as it all came back to him. It had been a tiny little town with a one room schoolhouse. "Caroline…," he murmured.

The man smiled at him, seemingly pleased by his recollection. "Very good, Agent Callen. I'll let you get away with that one since you got it right. Now please don't speak out of turn again unless I call on you."

Yep, he was a real nut job alright.

He went on with his story. "He tracked her down and all he wanted was to bring her and their little girl safely home so they could be a family, but you and that jackass pilot who flew you there, ruined all that, didn't you?"

"I…" it hadn't been just him. Andy had flown him and a small team in to help the local law enforcement. Joe had totally lost it. He and two other men had taken Caroline and the children in the schoolhouse hostage. He remembered that Alyssa hadn't been in school that day and Caroline had refused to tell Joe where she was. "He killed her," Callen whispered. He had shot her point blank in the head. Callen could still remember hearing the screams of the schoolchildren inside when the shot had gone off.

"WRONG ANSWER, AGENT CALLEN!" Jonathan nodded at his brother who held Callen's arms in the air while he let loose with a flurry of punches, two to his jaw, one to each of his cheekbones and then countless hits to his torso. It was nothing he hadn't been through before except the ones to his abdomen were excruciating and he was pretty sure he now had another cracked rib to add to his collection. Finally, mercifully, the assault on his body stopped. Callen's breathing was harsh as he slumped down to the ground, trying to guard his abdomen from any more pain.

"He had no choice but to shoot her. It was kill or be killed," Jonathan stated.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Callen asked incredulously. "It was a woman and a bunch of little kids up against three men with guns. She couldn't have hurt anyone if she had wanted to."

"LIES!" Jonathan screamed. He kicked Callen repeatedly, this time aiming for his exposed right side. Callen squeezed his eyes shut as he gasped then tried to breathe through the newest attack being inflicted on him. "It was all lies and then you shot him! You shot my brother and he was never the same after that day."

"He didn't deserve to be. He killed an innocent woman." Callen turned his head to look at Alyssa but she refused to meet his gaze.

"She was a bitch who tried to control his life by taking away the person he loved most in this world. Your father loved you so much, Alyssa." Jonathan turned to her and hugged her. "You were the best thing in his life."

"Why are you bringing this all up now?" Callen questioned as Jonathan was no longer seemed to be enforcing his no-speaking rule. "You said it yourself, this was 13 years ago. Why now?"

"Because two months ago my brother died," Jonathan screamed. "He died after spending 13 years in a living hell of your making from a bullet that went through his abdomen and severed his spine. He was permanently paralyzed from the waist down from a bullet YOU put in him."

"Do you want an apology?" Callen asked, shaking his head in disgust. "Because I'm not going to give you one. He killed her. He terrorized innocent children. He deserved to be punished. He brought it all on himself. Case closed." His only regret was that they hadn't been able to save Caroline.

"I don't want an apology from you." Jonathan venomously spat at Callen as he spoke. "It would be nothing but empty words. But on Joe's deathbed, he made me promise that I would find a way to pay you back for what you did…you and the man who put you in that New Hampshire schoolhouse 13 years ago. And that is what I did. Andy Billings is dead and soon, you will be as well."

"Andy? Really?" Callen asked. "He was a pilot. He had nothing to do with it. I get that you're pissed at me but he never should have been a part of your twisted plot. And what about his wife and kids? They were as innocent as those schoolchildren your brother terrorized. What did you do to them?"

"They were unharmed and have been released. I'm not a monster, Agent Callen, just a seeker of justice."

"Justice? Really?" Callen smirked. "That's a joke."

"It doesn't matter what you think," Jonathan smiled wickedly. "You are totally at my mercy now. I can do anything I want to you and no one will be able to stop me."

Callen felt a cold chill run down his spine at the man's words. Unfortunately, at that moment, what he said was pretty much true. "So what's your plan?" he asked, fearing the answer, but compelled to seek it out anyway.

"Ahh…a curious little kitten," Jonathan said as he reached down and stroked the top of Callen's head. "You know what they say about curiosity, Agent Callen."

Callen twisted away from him in revulsion. Everything about this man screamed depravity. His touch made Callen's skin crawl.

Jonathan chuckled as Callen pulled away, enjoying his discomfort. "You're probably wondering where you are? This is the Whitebark Mine. It's been abandoned for a very long time. I found the old coot who owned it and he sold it to me, quick sale, cash transaction, no questions asked. He was only too happy to sell it to me."

Callen looked puzzled, but he didn't say anything. He just waited for Jonathan to go on.

"I've done very well in life, Agent Callen. I'm a very successful man and I've devoted myself to caring for my brother's child. Alyssa has had all the best life has to offer. Good schools, fine clothes. She's traveled all over the world. It doesn't make up for what you did to her father, but it helps ease the pain somewhat. In any case, I digress, I bought this mine just for you. Eventually I will even change the name of it to the Callen Mine."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" Callen couldn't hold the words back.

Jonathan ignored Callen's outburst. "This mine is much too dangerous to be left open. I wouldn't want an innocent child or a furry little puppy to stumble across it and get lost inside. No…that just wouldn't do at all. So you see, Agent Callen, I'm going to seal up the entrance with dynamite. Kaboom! No one will be coming in…and you won't be going out… Think of it as your own personal tomb…a cool, peaceful place for you to eventually die and then spend eternity."

Callen listened to his words with an increasing feeling of dread. Had he really survived the plane crash only to meet his end here, at the hands of this freak? "You wasted all that money just to make me suffer? I'm sure there were easier, cheaper ways."

Jonathan smiled and shrugged. "What can I say? I have money to burn, Agent Callen. It seemed like a rather interesting way to pass the time. Plus, I really was just paying for the land, not the mine itself which is pretty much worthless. Perhaps, someday I'll return and open it up again just to find your skeleton and have a good laugh."

Callen shuddered. This guy really was a sick bastard. "You won't get away with it…even if I die, you're going to get caught. My partner will probably kill you with his bare hands when he gets a hold of you."

"You can tell yourself that if it brings you comfort," Jonathan said. "Part of me is sad I won't be able to witness your demise. When Andy was unable to get the job done, I realized that it was a sign from God that it wasn't enough just to kill you. You need to suffer. Your death will hopefully come slowly and you'll have lots of time to think before it happens. I'm sure my family isn't the only one you've wronged. I'd bet that you have many regrets in your life. I can only hope you remember every single one of them as you await death's ultimate claim on you…"


	18. Chapter 18

For every minute that passed, Sam felt his hopes for G's rescue diminish a little bit more. He had always thought that he would somehow sense if his partner was to ever die while they were apart, that their connection would somehow be broken and he would somehow know, but he had no idea if that would truly be the case. His thoughts were increasingly darkening and he couldn't help but wonder if G had already been killed.

"Mr. Hanna?" Hetty stood in front of Sam but he didn't respond to her. "Sam?" she gently placed her hand on his shoulder and finally got his attention.

"Yeah, Hetty?" Some of his anger towards her had deflated. His eyes were weary and sad as he looked back at her.

"Mr. Beale and Miss Jones may have a lead for us. I thought you would like to hear what they have to say."

"Definitely." He stood up and followed Hetty through the hospital corridors until they reached the Security Office. Granger was waiting for them by a desktop computer in a corner of the room. As Sam approached, he could see Eric and Nell on the flat screen monitor. "Hey guys," he greeted them.

"Hi Sam," the two operational analysists replied as one.

"Is anyone else coming?" Eric asked.

Sam shook his head. "Kensi is with Deeks right now."

"How is he?" Nell asked, her eyes filled with concern.

"I think he'll be alright," Sam said, but he was impatient for whatever leads they had to offer. "What did you find out?"

"We were finally able to get a hit on facial recognition," Eric began. "Nell is going to send the photo to your cell phones."

Sam pulled out his phone and clicked on the picture as soon as his phone dinged. "Who is this guy?" he asked as he stared at the photo of this newest adversary. The man appeared smug and pompous. Sam hated him on sight.

"His name is Jonathan Page," Nell replied. "He's a very rich, very powerful businessman who has been highly successful in the stock market."

"You're kidding," said Sam. "What the hell would a guy like this want with G?"

Nell and Eric exchanged a look before turning back towards the monitor.

"What?" asked Sam. "Tell me."

"Sam, about two months ago, Jonathan's twin brother, Joseph, died."

"Okay…" Sam shook his head looking very confused. "I'm not getting this at all. You really need to spell it out."

Nell began. "Thirteen years ago, Joseph's wife, Caroline, ran away from him, taking their young daughter with her. She took a job as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in a small town in New Hampshire. Obviously she thought he'd never find her there."

"Unfortunately, she was wrong," Eric said, taking over. "He and two other men eventually found her and took her and the children in the school hostage. Her daughter, Alyssa, was not in school that day and Caroline would not divulge the girl's location. Callen and a team were called in to help local law enforcement who had no experience with that kind of a situation. Andy Billings flew them to the location. Joseph ended up killing Caroline, shooting her in the head. Callen and the team rushed the schoolhouse and Callen shot Joseph. The bullet severed his spinal cord, permanently paralyzing him from the waist down."

Sam sighed. "So…this whole thing has just been about revenge for that shooting?" He still didn't understand why Andy had really been a target, but sometimes you just didn't know about people and the way they processed their thoughts.

"Looks that way," Nell replied.

"So is that it?" Sam asked. "We know who and why, but nothing else?"

Eric shook his head. "Sorry, Sam. We saw them on traffic cam footage locally but lost them pretty quickly. We think they must have been headed to some remote location."

"So we've got nothing," Sam stated, his frustration evident as he slammed the top of the desk with his hand. "They brought G out into the middle of nowhere and we have no way of tracking him."

"Not necessarily Sam," Hetty said, placing her hand on his arm. "At least now law enforcement can be on the lookout for this man. Perhaps we will catch a break."

Sam shook his head. "He's going to know how to cover his tracks. He has tons of money to make himself disappear, Hetty. This isn't good news."

"It's not bad news either, Sam," Granger said, breaking into the conversation. "The more information we have, no matter how unimportant it might seem, the better off we are."

"You can't give up hope," Hetty said. "Mr. Callen is counting on us."

"I'm not giving up," Sam stated resolutely. "I would never, ever give up on him."

xxxxx

Jonathan and Robert walked a short distance away, speaking in hushed tones. Callen finally managed to catch Alyssa's eye. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mom…I lost my mother too when I was very young," he said softly.

"Don't talk to me." She stared down at the ground but then raised her eyes again to look back at him. "You ruined my father's life."

"I understand you believe the things you've been told," Callen said, speaking quickly as he glanced over at the two men who were still talking. "But they're not true. Your mother only wanted to protect you. She was afraid of your father. That's why she took you away." He was desperately trying to connect with her but knew he didn't have much time.

"He never hurt her," she snapped. "I would have known."

"He wouldn't have wanted you to know and neither would your mom. She wouldn't have wanted to scare you."

"You're lying."

"I get that you loved him, but you have to know this is wrong. I was only doing my job, trying to protect your mom and those children. Please…you have to get in touch with my partner…His name is Sam Hanna… His number is 310-555-6655."

She stared at him, nervously twirling some of her long, dark hair around her fingers, then shook her head. "I'm not going to help you."

"Alyssa…I know we don't know each other, but do you really think I deserve to die like this?"

"It's what my dad wanted, and what my uncle wants…He knows what's best." She sounded uncertain which gave Callen a speck of hope.

"Sam is a great guy…he can help you get out of this mess. Do you really want to be an accomplice in the murder of a federal agent? You'll either be running for the rest of your life or you'll be in prison. Do you want to ruin your whole life? Think about that. You…"

"What has Agent Callen been telling you, Alyssa?" Jonathan came over and placed a kiss on the top of his niece's head. "Whatever it is, don't believe him. He is evil personified. He would say anything to get out of this. He's an expert manipulator."

"I'm looking into the face of evil right now," Callen said, shifting uncomfortably. The rush of adrenaline that had been pushing him through the verbal sparring with Jonathan was dying out quickly. The slightest movements were causing him pain and he could feel himself weakening.

"Aww…you're not looking so good, I feel kind of bad for you," Jonathan said, his voice oozing false sympathy. He pulled out his cell phone and snapped a picture of Callen, then looked at it, smiling in satisfaction. "Not bad…the light of the lanterns makes for a nice photographic effect. At some point I'll send this picture to your partner, give him something to remember you by. I really wish I had thought to take photos as we went along. It would have made a lovely picture book to give Agent Hanna for Christmas."

"You're really fucking crazy…" Callen retorted, appalled at the thought of Sam getting the photo, knowing how his partner would blame himself. He glanced over at Alyssa once again. "Are these really the actions of a sane man? Do you really think this is okay?"

"Why don't we get out of here, Uncle Jonathan?" Alyssa tossed her hair defiantly then wrapped her arms across her chest. "This place gives me the creeps. HE gives me the creeps too."

"An excellent idea, Alyssa. Robert? I believe the men have had sufficient time to set everything up, don't you?"

Robert nodded silently and Callen exploded, his words directed at Jonathan's brother. "Do you even have a mind of your own? Do you just go along with whatever he wants? You're going to be charged with murder too. I hope you enjoy being someone's bitch in prison."

Robert looked at Callen nervously then turned and started walking back in the direction they had first come from.

"So…you're not even going to leave me some kind of light, not even a candle?" Callen asked. He was trying to appear calm, but truth be told, he was inwardly starting to freak out at the thought of being left alone in this place.

"I would like to, Agent Callen…truly I would, but the darkness here mirrors the blackness of your soul. I cannot go against your fate. Come, Alyssa." Jonathan put one arm around his niece and picked up the lantern from the ground with the other.

They headed off in Robert's direction and Callen found himself losing it. "You're going to rot in hell for this," he yelled, his whole body trembling. "My partner will make you pay!" He struggled frantically with the rope around his hands, unsuccessfully trying to loosen it, as he watched the figures get smaller and smaller. Finally they disappeared from his sight entirely and he was left in total darkness once again.

"Damn." His heart began pounding uncontrollably and he found he was having a hard time breathing. He lowered his face into his hands and tried to calm himself. He couldn't remember ever having anxiety like this before. He could hear Sam's voice in his head telling him to take slow, deep breaths and that's what he tried to do. Gradually he was able to settle himself down somewhat and stabilize his breathing. "I really got myself into a mess this time, Sam," he said, his voice quivering. "I don't think there's any way out of this..." He wasn't sure how long he had sat there when he heard Jonathan's voice shout from a distance.

"Goodbye, Agent Callen! Enjoy the rest of your short and miserable life!"

Callen braced himself for whatever was coming next and moments later the explosion occurred. He lowered his head and put his hands over it trying to protect himself from falling rocks and rubble. Luckily, the effects of the explosion didn't reach him though and he wasn't harmed any further. However, he knew he was now sealed up inside Jonathan's so-called tomb.

He was sick, afraid and very much alone…


	19. Chapter 19

After the explosion, Callen undertook the task of trying to untie the rope from his hands with his teeth. It was tedious and time consuming, but he finally managed to free himself. After resting for a short period of time, he then set to work on untying his feet. It was very slow going. His fingers were still cold and stiff and having to shift his position to reach for the rope caused additional pain in his abdomen and side. However, finally he succeeded. He leaned his head back against the wall of the cave and slowly moved his legs which were very stiff. He had no clue what he should do. He was completely disoriented and if he started to walk, he had no idea which way led out and which way would lead him further into the mine. "I don't know what to do," he said aloud, mainly just to comfort himself by breaking the complete silence. He gingerly was able to get to his feet. Keeping his hands on the wall, he walked a few steps to his right. His legs were weak and wobbly though and the small rocks and pebbles on the cave floor cut into his bare feet. He was unable to stay upright for very long and dropped back down to the ground. He was trying not to focus on how cold he was and how much pain he was in, but it was pretty much impossible. He carefully lifted up his hospital gown and placed his hands over the bandage covering his abdomen. He had a feeling that Jonathan's kicks and punches might have opened up his wound but he couldn't really tell if he was bleeding. "Please call Sam and tell him where I am, Alyssa," he begged, his voice breaking as he spoke. "I don't want to die alone in here."

xxxxx

Sam knocked on the door to Kensi's room and waited until he heard her voice telling him to come in. "Hey," Sam said as he entered the room. Deeks was lying in bed while Kensi sat in the reclining chair beside him. Sam gave Deeks a concerned look. "How are you doing, Deeks?"

"Hey Sam…I'm good," Deeks answered, but he didn't look particularly good to Sam. He was pale and his eyes looked dull and lifeless.

"Something wrong?" Sam asked, his gaze moving from Deeks to Kensi.

Deeks shook his head and Kensi remained silent.

"So, I guess they're keeping you?" Sam asked, his eyes back on Deeks. "What did the doctor say?"

Deeks didn't answer Sam's question. At last, Kensi broke the uncomfortable silence in the room. "The CT scan was negative. They're just keeping him overnight for observation. Granger arranged for him to be in here with me, even though it's Orthopedics. We're both being released tomorrow."

"That's good news," Sam said.

"Is there any word on Callen?" Deeks finally spoke, his blue eyes filled with emotion as he looked back at the other man.

"We know who abducted him from facial recognition. His name is Jonathan Page." Sam replied. "Long story short, thirteen years ago, this guy's brother killed his wife and held a schoolhouse full of children hostage. G shot him and he ended up paralyzed from the waist down. He died two months ago and now his brother wants revenge."

"That doesn't sound good," Kensi said grimly then cast a guilty look in Deek's direction and was silent.

"What's going on?" Sam asked. There was definitely a weird vibe in the room between the two younger team members.

"Nothing," Deeks replied quickly.

"Deeks thinks it's his fault that Callen was taken," Kensi said, her words earning a glare from Deeks which she ignored.

Sam sighed heavily as he looked over at Deeks. "There's nothing you could have done, Deeks." His expression was earnest as he met Deeks' eyes. "You didn't have a chance against them. You're lucky they didn't kill you."

"I tried to tell him that," Kensi said, looking from Sam to Deeks then back to Sam, "but no one ever listens to me anyway."

"We listen to you, Kensi," Sam said, knowing she was talking about him as well as Deeks. "It's just not easy to know G's out there somewhere alone and defenseless. I know he needs my help and he's probably waiting for me to rescue him, but I have no idea where he is or how to help him."

"We have to believe we'll catch a break and find him," Kensi said.

"I don't know, Kensi," Sam tiredly ran his hand over his face. "The longer this goes on…"

He didn't have to finish his sentence. He knew both Kensi and Deeks realized what he was getting at. The longer Callen was gone, the less the chances were that they would find him alive.

"You're exhausted, Sam," Kensi observed. It was very late and the man obviously needed to get some sleep. "You want me to see if someone can bring a cot in here? You could take the bed." She knew Sam wouldn't be comfortable on a cot, but it wouldn't bother her in the least to sleep on one.

Sam shook his head with a faint smile. "I think you guys are good without me being in here. The hotel I'm staying at is really nice. I'll just head over there and be back tomorrow. Call me if you hear anything or if you're discharged before I get here."

"Of course," said Kensi. "You do the same…let us know if there are any leads at all, no matter how small."

"I will. You two take care of yourselves." He turned to Deeks one more time. "No more blaming yourself, Deeks. It wasn't your fault."

Deeks nodded. "Thanks, Sam…"

"See you guys tomorrow." With that, Sam gave them a final wave and headed out.

xxxxx

Hetty was sitting alone at the hotel bar, nursing a cocktail, when Granger sidled up beside her. "Join me for a drink, Owen?" she asked.

"What's that you're having?" he asked, glancing at the yellowish concoction she was sipping.

"It's a Sherlock & Watson," Hetty replied. "It's made with Earl Grey tea syrup and scotch. I thought it was a fitting drink for this occasion. Perhaps if Sherlock Holmes and Watson were working on this case, we'd have found Mr. Callen by now."

"I don't think they'd be having any better luck than we are, Henrietta," Granger stated before ordering a beer from the bartender.

"Oh I don't know about that, Owen. We let him be snatched from the hospital right underneath our noses. It doesn't say much for us."

"We badly underestimated the danger he was in," Granger said. "But, I don't know how we could have foreseen the lengths this Page guy would go to in order to get to Callen."

"Perhaps not, but we should have had him better protected than we did."

"Blaming ourselves isn't going to get him back," Granger commented.

"And what exactly will get him back?" Hetty asked, turning to glare at him. "We've got nothing…absolutely no lead to help us find him."

"That's not what you said to Sam earlier today," Granger said.

"And what would you have had me tell him?" Hetty snapped. "That he was right, that there is no way of finding out where his partner is and he is very likely dead?" Hetty put her hand to her mouth, horrified by her own words and she furiously blinked back sudden tears.

"Henrietta…" Owen was at a loss as to what to say and watched as Hetty abandoned her drink, got down from her barstool and grabbed her handbag from the bar.

"I'm fine, Owen," she stated, "just very tired. It has been a trying day. I will see you in the morning. Perhaps then, things will look better and we can come up with some kind of a plan to bring Mr. Callen back to us." With that, she headed off as Granger watched her, his own thoughts just as pessimistic as hers.

xxxxx

Callen was trying very hard not to give in to despair. Too much movement only caused him pain so he remained as still as he could and tried to think of other, happier times…

"Good morning, G," Sam greeted his partner who was reading through some case file notes on his laptop.

"Good morning, Sam, how's it going?"

"Good… Michelle wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight."

"What? Why?" Callen asked, pulling his eyes from his laptop to look at his partner.

"What do you mean, why?" Sam asked. "We need a reason to invite you to dinner?"

"No…it's just…"

"It's just what? Do you already have plans?" Sam asked.

Callen shook his head. "No, I don't have any plans."

"Good, it's settled then. You haven't been over for a while. The kids miss their Uncle Callen." Sam had smiled in satisfaction and they hadn't discussed it any further.

That night, the house had been in darkness when Sam opened the front door. "Are Michelle and the kids out?" Callen asked.

Sam turned on the light switch and grinned at his partner as everyone yelled "Surprise!"

Callen had been totally flabbergasted by the birthday party thrown in his honor. "Happy Birthday, Uncle Callen," Aiden had greeted him with a hug and Kamran had toddled over to him to cling to his leg. The whole team had been there, Hetty, Kensi, Deeks, Nate, Eric and Nell. No one had ever really celebrated his birthday before, certainly not given him a party. There had been Chinese food, beer, presents and a cake. He had been a little bit embarrassed by all the fuss, but mostly grateful over the kind gesture. It had been a really great night and he had been very touched over what Sam and Michelle had done for him. It had shown him how much he meant, not only to Sam, but to the whole Hanna family…

"Hospital gowns definitely aren't meant for caves," Callen said, his mind very much back in the present as he found himself shivering from the cold. "Not unless they're covered with a warm coat." He was freezing. He would have given anything for a blanket or to be wrapped up in a heavy quilt. He tried to focus his mind on something else and started to practice some of his languages. He was tired though and found himself unable to really focus. Finally, he was able to fall asleep and at least temporarily escape the horror that had become his life.

xxxxx

Alyssa was having a very hard time sleeping. She found herself tossing and turning constantly throughout the night, her mind consumed with what had happened the previous day. When Agent Callen had asked her to call his partner, she had considered it briefly, but had quickly discarded the notion. There was no way she was going to go against her deceased father's wishes.

Her father had loved her…hadn't he? He would never have hurt her mother. He had said the police had lied about his role in her mother's death. He had drilled that into her since she had been a little girl. She knew there was a lot of corruption in the world and people were falsely accused of crimes all the time. That was what had happened to her father…he'd been set up and wrongly accused, then imprisoned…hadn't he?

She turned on her phone and saw the time 3:35 a.m. She thought about the agent trapped alone in the mine. She couldn't help but wonder about how he was doing. It scared her just thinking about it. She hated the dark. She couldn't imagine being trapped in there, all alone, with no hope of escape…she couldn't feel sorry for him though. He deserved it…didn't he? But what if he didn't?

She looked at her list of contacts and saw the name he had given her…Sam Hanna… along with his phone number. After Agent Callen had told her the name and number she had tried to put it out of her mind. It hadn't worked though. She had always had an exceptionally good memory for everything from phone numbers and addresses to sports statistics and movie and television trivia. She had tried to erase the number from her mind, but it almost seemed like the more she had tried to forget it, the more she had obsessively thought about it, engraining it even more fully. Finally she had added it to the contacts in her phone, just in case. She wouldn't use it though. She wasn't going to call him…

Not that it mattered right now anyway. They were staying overnight in a cabin that Uncle Jonathan had rented for them before he had taken Agent Callen from the hospital. It was in a pretty remote location and her cell phone wasn't getting any signal. She couldn't call anyone even if she wanted to, but she didn't want to call anyone… She kept trying to reinforce that in her mind as she tried to forget about Agent Callen and the haunted look she had seen in his eyes right before they left him. Finally, she managed to drift off into an uneasy sleep.

xxxxx

He kept his eyes closed because somehow he wasn't quite as afraid with them closed. At least it was supposed to be dark when your eyes were closed. Every time he opened his eyes and saw nothing, his heartbeat would speed up and he would get a panicky feeling all over again. Jonathan Page had sure done a good job with his plot for revenge. He couldn't remember ever feeling this helpless and terrified. He had been in many seemingly hopeless situations before…such as when he'd gone undercover as Anwar Amurov and had been wearing a suicide bomber vest, tied to the rigged platform and when Dallas Alder had been about to burn him alive…However, both incidents had been relatively short as far as time went, and both times Sam had rescued him, as well as on numerous other occasions. He just didn't think that was going to happen now.

He knew time was passing, but he didn't know how slowly or quickly it was happening. He had no idea if it was day or night or how long he had even been there. Suddenly, he felt something crawling on his hand and it freaked him out. "Get off me!" he yelled, flinging whatever insect it was off his hand and then edging a few feet away, using his legs to push his body. He'd never been afraid of bugs, had never really thought of them one way or another, but now, knowing unseen creatures could crawl all over him and he couldn't see them to identify how big they were or what they were, was indescribably frightening… beetles, spiders, maggots and probably bugs he'd never even seen before. Not to mention there could be snakes, lizards, bats, mice and rats. Who the hell knew what was in this place? He was freaking out more now just thinking about it. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, ignoring the pain the gesture caused. "Damn it, Sam, why can't you find me?!" he called out as he buried his face against his knees, no longer able to hold back tears.

xxxxx

Kensi sat on the edge of Deeks' bed, silent and still, as she watched him sleep. Not wanting to wake him, she resisted the urge she had to stroke his face. She needn't have worried though as only a few minutes later, he began to stir on his own.

"Good morning, sleepy head," she said with a soft smile, caressing his rough cheek with her hand. "You could use a shave."

"G'morning," he gave her a faint smile in response, his eyes still heavy with sleep. "What time is it?"

"It's a little after seven," she replied. "The nurse will be in here any time now to check on us. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good…How are you?"

"I'm definitely ready to leave this place." She gently brushed his hair away from his forehead. "Do you still have a headache?"

"Nothing I can't handle," he answered vaguely.

"Deeks…"

"The doctor said I could have headaches for a while, Kensi. Unless they get really bad, it's just a normal thing with a concussion."

She nodded. "I understand that. I just don't like seeing you hurt."

"I know, but…"

He was interrupted by the nurse who came in, pushing her cart of assorted medical paraphernalia. "Good morning," she said, smiling at the couple. "How are you today?"

"We're good." Kensi grabbed her crutches and used them to ambulate back to her own bed as the nurse began to examine Deeks, starting with his blood pressure. She couldn't help but notice how serious he was. He didn't smile or make one joke or flirty remark. After the nurse had finished with both of them and left the room, Kensi regarded him thoughtfully, but stayed put in her own bed. He looked like he was off in his own little world. She didn't disturb him and he didn't react at all until a dietary aide brought them their breakfast. He quietly thanked the girl, then buttered and began to nibble on a piece of toast.

"Are you okay?" Kensi asked as she opened up her mini carton of orange juice and put a straw into the opening.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

"You don't seem fine. In fact, I'd say you seem anything but fine."

He shrugged, concentrating on the scrambled eggs on his plate. They weren't very good though and he mainly moved them around with his fork.

"I never thought a plate of cold, uneaten eggs would be more interesting to you than I am," Kensi stated after she had finished eating. "Should I be insulted?"

"I'm sorry…I just…" He didn't finish the sentence, just stared down at his breakfast tray.

Kensi got out from under the covers and got out of bed, crutching her way back over to Deeks. She retook her spot on the edge of his bed and reached for his hand. "Deeks…please talk to me," she pleaded.

He sighed and finally looked back at her. "I had a dream about Callen last night…we found him…"

"I'm guessing this wasn't a very good dream," Kensi said.

"No," Deeks shook his head. "He was dead. His hands were tied behind his back and he'd been shot in the head execution style…"

"Oh Deeks, I'm sorry." Kensi squeezed his hand supportively.

"Sam was just holding his body in his arms, crying…he didn't say anything, but I just knew he was blaming me…"

"You really need to stop this," Kensi said gently. "I hope and pray that we're going to find Callen alive…but if we don't…There was nothing you could have done. There wasn't enough protection for him. There needed to be a whole team there for him to be protected and no one thought to do that."

"I just want him to be okay, Kensi," Deeks said emotionally. "I really just want him to be okay…"

"I know you do," she said, bending down to press a soft kiss onto his lips. "We all do."

xxxxx

Callen woke up feeling hot and sweaty. The pain in his abdomen seemed to be steadily worsening every time he awoke. He put his hands over the bandages and moaned softly as he opened his eyes expecting to see darkness. Instead, he was happily surprised to see his partner standing just a short distance away from him. "Sam! Sam I can't believe you found me," he said breathlessly. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to find me here." He waited for his partner to come to him, but he didn't. He just stood there, perfectly still. "Come here, Sam. Quit kidding around. Why aren't you helping me?"

Frustrated, Callen turned his head and saw Kensi and Deeks. "I'm so glad to see you guys," he said. "I need help." Like Sam, Kensi and Deeks didn't move either. He gave them a confused look. "Why aren't you talking to me? Help me, please. We've got to get out of this place. I can't stand it here. Please…I want to leave now…" However, he found the junior team members either unable or unwilling to help him.

Lastly, his gaze shifted and he saw Hetty and Granger. "I don't feel right, Hetty…it hurts…it hurts really bad. Please help me…" Confusion turned to anger when, like the others, Hetty and Granger remained still and neither of them came to his assistance. "I don't…I don't understand…" He watched as they slowly began to fade. "What are you doing?! Where are you going? Please come back," he pleaded. "Don't leave me here alone!" Tears came to the surface as he found that his team had abandoned him and he was, once again, a solitary prisoner of the blackness.

"Why did you leave me? Why? What did I do wrong? I can't take this anymore," he whimpered in obvious distress as he shifted about, unable to get comfortable on the cold, hard ground. "How could you leave me here, Sam? I never would have left you…never…" Finally, exhausted and feverish, he lost his grip on consciousness, and surrendered himself into a whole different kind of darkness.

xxxxx

Alyssa sat stretched out in the back of the white Toyota Camry surfing the Internet on her phone. Uncle Jonathan had said they needed to change vehicles and the sleazy used car salesman's eyes had practically popped out of his head when her uncle had paid him in cash. She couldn't help but listen to her uncles' conversation in the front seat.

"I wonder if he's dead yet?" Jonathan asked, chuckling.

"I don't think so… Not yet," Robert stated. "It hasn't been that long and he has plenty of air."

"Even so, he was in the ICU and I beat him up pretty good. It's cold in there and he has no food, no water. I can't imagine he's doing very well."

"Maybe he had a nervous breakdown," Robert mused.

"We can only hope," Jonathan said and both men broke into laughter.

Alyssa felt a shiver run through her spine as she listened to what they were saying. It was one thing to have wanted to punish the man for what he had done to her father, but her uncle was being deliberately cruel. The more she mulled things over in her mind, the more doubts she was having about what they had done to Agent Callen. She was beginning to believe that what he said could have some merit and that what they had done to him was very, very wrong. "Uncle Jonathan, can you stop at the next rest stop?" she asked. "I need to use the little girl's room."

"Of course, Alyssa."

About 15 minutes later, Jonathan parked the car at a rest stop and Alyssa got out and headed to the ladies room. Locking herself inside a stall, she pulled out her cell phone and with a shaking hand pressed the green dial button next to Sam Hanna's name.


	20. Chapter 20

Freshly showered and shaved, Sam put on a fresh pair of jeans then pulled a clean Henley over his head. He sighed as he walked out into the living room of his hotel suite. He gazed out the window overlooking the city and saw that the sky was overcast. That was good. It matched his mood perfectly. "I wish I knew where you were, G," he said dejectedly. "I hope you're hanging in there." Countless scenarios of what could have befallen his partner kept running through his head. He hoped and prayed that whatever was happening to Callen didn't live up to the horrors being conjured up in his imagination. It was still a bit early to head to the hospital so he sat on the sofa and picked up the room service menu from the coffee table and debated on having some breakfast. Just then, his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" he spoke into the phone after checking the caller ID and seeing a number which he didn't recognize. There was only silence on the other end of the phone. "Hello?" he spoke again.

"He…hello…is this Sam?"

Sam immediately went on alert when he heard the voice of the nervous-sounding female. "Yes, this is Sam," he said, making sure to keep the tone of his voice calm and non-threatening. "Can I ask who I'm speaking with?"

"My name…my name doesn't matter."

"Okay…" Sam said agreeably. "Can I ask what you're calling about then?"

"I…" There was a click and the line went dead.

"Dammit!" Sam shook his head in frustration and hit redial, praying that this unknown woman would answer.

xxxxx

Alyssa stared at the phone as it rang and unknown caller came up on the display. She knew it was Sam Hanna though. Why had she called him? How could she have been so stupid? Finally she hit the answer button and held the phone up to her ear, but didn't speak. She just waited to hear the voice at the other end of the line.

"Hello? This is Sam… Please listen to me. Whatever kind of trouble you're in, I can try to help you."

"Why would you help me?" Alyssa asked in a whisper. "You don't even know me."

"That's true," Sam replied. "But, you must have called me for a reason, didn't you? Please tell me what the problem is."

"It's not my problem," she answered vaguely. "Someone else is in trouble…"

There was a hesitation at the other end of the line before Sam spoke again. "Who? Who's in trouble?" he asked.

"It's your partner…he's in trouble."

She heard him sigh deeply. "Can you tell me where he is?" he asked her. "Please tell me where he is."

"He's in an old mine." She couldn't believe she was doing this. She was totally betraying her uncle. God only knew what he would do to her if he found out.

"Where…where is it?" Sam demanded loudly, before he lowered his voice again. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. Please…please tell me where this mine is."

"I don't know where it is," she answered. "I can give you the name of it. It's the Whitebark Mine."

"How…how is he?" Sam asked. "Is he hurt?"

"I have to go," Alyssa said, knowing this was taking too long. She needed to get back out to the car. She spoke quickly. "I don't know how he is, except that he's been beaten and they sealed him up inside the mine so you need to hurry. I have to go."

"Wait, please." Sam begged but Alyssa disconnected the call and powered her phone down. She then quickly exited the restroom and threw the phone into a nearby trash can. She had done what she could to save the agent's life, but that was as far as she would go. She wasn't about to further betray her uncle by leading the authorities to him. He was her family after all.

xxxxx

Sam stared at the phone for a long moment before he snapped out of his daze and hit the speed dial button next to Eric's name. "Hey Eric. I need you to try to trace the phone number of the person I was just talking to," he said. "Also, can you get me the location of the Whitebark Mine and send it to my phone?"

"I'll get right on it, Sam," Eric replied. "Any word on Callen?"

"Yeah, this mine may be the lead we're looking for," Sam stated. "At least I hope so. I need to call Hetty. Call me back if you get anywhere."

He disconnected the phone from Eric and was about to call Hetty when he decided it would make more sense just to go to her room. He grabbed his hotel keycard and shoved it into his pocket along with his cell phone then quickly left his own room to head to Hetty's.

xxxxx

Hetty sat at the small table in her hotel room, slowly sipping a cup of tea. She had not slept well. In fact, she had barely slept at all. She was consumed by thoughts about what could have happened to Callen and none of her thoughts were very good ones. She was desperately trying to find a way of tracking her agent but nothing had come to mind. She couldn't bear the thought of her boy sick and at the mercy of some psychopath without the team to back him up. She blamed herself for whatever predicament he was in and knew she would never be able to forgive herself if they were unable to get him back safely. A loud knocking on the door to her room interrupted her thoughts and she swiftly walked to the door. "Who is it?" she called out hesitantly.

"Hetty, it's Sam. Let me in."

Hetty quickly unlocked the door and opened it.

"I think I may have a location on G," Sam said as he rushed into her room.

"How, Sam?" Hetty asked, afraid to even hope this could be true.

"I got a phone call. It was a woman. Anyhow, she sounded really nervous, but she said that G is in a mine, the Whitebark Mine. Eric is working on tracing the call and he's going to send me the location of the mine."

"And you think the call was legitimate?" Hetty questioned. "You don't think she was just toying with you?"

Sam shrugged and shook his head. "I have no idea, Hetty," he admitted. "But it's the only lead we have so what do we have to lose? Besides, G must have told her to call or how would she have gotten my number?"

Hetty nodded. "I'll call Owen and let him know what's transpired. You contact Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye and let them know what's going on. They will want to be a part of this."

Sam pulled out his phone to call his junior team members. Neither of them were in any kind of shape to be out at a mine, but he knew they would want to be there. "Oh and Hetty?" Sam said, his expression grim as he recalled a detail he hadn't relayed to her. "She said the mine is sealed up…"

Hetty nodded, already knowing it would be difficult for Sam to deal with if it was true. "If he's in there, Sam, we will get him out."

"Yeah…" Sam said halfheartedly wondering what kind of shape his partner would be in when they did get him out.

xxxxx

When his eyes opened, he found himself back in the ICU. Sam and Hetty were on one side of his bed. Deeks and Kensi stood on the opposite side with Granger at the foot of the bed. "I can't believe you guys found me," Callen said, a relieved smile on his face. "I never thought you would."

Sam shook his head, smiling, as he reached down and fondly ruffled Callen's hair. "Sorry, G…we didn't find you."

"Oh." Callen shrugged. "Who found me then?" It really didn't matter as long as he was out of that hellhole.

"Nobody," said Deeks. "You didn't leave us any clues."

"You really should have," Kensi said as she broke into a fit of giggles. Deeks nudged her with his elbow and gave her a disapproving look. After a final loud snort, Kensi managed to compose herself and stopped laughing.

"I thought I trained you better than that, Mr. Callen." Hetty shook her head, obviously disappointed in him.

Callen started to get upset. "I couldn't. I wasn't even conscious until they had me in the cave. How could I have left you a clue? It wasn't possible."

"Come on, G," Sam said. "You could have figured out something. You needed to give us something to go on."

"Needle in a haystack, man," said Deeks. "It just wasn't possible for us to find you."

"I'm right here with you, Deeks," Callen snapped. "It doesn't matter as long as we're together now."

"We're not together, Agent Callen," said Granger.

"This is just what you wish would happen," said Kensi.

"We're just a figment of your imagination," explained Deeks. "Characters in your dreams."

Callen shook his head in disbelief as tears filled his eyes. "No. That's not true. It can't be."

"Sorry, buddy," Sam said sympathetically as he squeezed his partner's hand. "Better luck next time."

"Goodbye, Mr. Callen," Hetty said sadly as the room began to darken. "This isn't how I envisioned things would go for you. Unfortunately though, I don't have the power to change it."

"No! Stay here with me, please! I'm sorry. I'll think of better clues. Please don't go! Please…"

xxxxx

He awoke, shivering violently, with his body covered in an ice cold sweat. He was still in this damned cave, he realized in dismay. His heart was beating quickly and his breathing was very heavy. He tried to forget about the dream and calm down, but it didn't seem to help his symptoms. "I may not be a mathemagician like you are Sam," he said breathlessly, "but I wouldn't have thought I'd be running out of air." He tried to sit up, but found he had a hard time doing so. He felt nauseous and dizzy and could barely keep himself from toppling over. Finally he managed to get into a sitting position and edged himself up against the wall to support himself. He tried to pull the hospital gown more tightly around his body, but it was much too flimsy to help him feel any warmer. "I think…I think I'm in a lot of trouble here, Sam," he said, his breath coming in faint gasps.

He leaned his head back against the wall and got caught up in his thoughts which were random and all over the place. "Mom? I hope you're up there, somewhere, waiting for me…" He really hoped she was. He prayed that she and Amy would be there, that there was some kind of afterlife. Maybe at least he would have his mother and sister at the end of all this. Maybe his death would reunite them. He was extremely afraid and didn't want to be alone anymore. He knew everyone always thought of him as being a lone wolf, but he missed his team…his family. Tears came to his eyes at the thought that he would never see any of them again. He'd never imagined he would come to such an end, dying alone in some stupid cave at the hands of a lunatic who he couldn't overcome because he was just too sick and weak. He hated that Page had basically had his way with him, that he hadn't been able to defend himself at all. It was not the end he would have wished for himself.

He froze when he felt something crawling on his foot and slowly creeping up his leg. Whatever it was, it was large and had lots and lots of little legs. He felt like he was going to hyperventilate as his breathing went even more out of control. His hand shaking, he reached for the unknown creature and grabbed it, feeling the cold sliminess on his hand as he threw it as far as he could. The gooey substance stuck to his fingers and he tried to wipe it off on the hospital gown. His whole body was trembling as he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his head against them once again, trying to get himself back under control. "I hate this fucking place…I can't stand it here," he said as he broke into sobs and rocked his body back and forth, trying to console himself. "Please somebody find me…I just want to go home…" Eventually, the crying exhausted him and he slumped back down to the ground, having lost consciousness once again.


	21. Chapter 21

The inside of the Jeep Liberty was shrouded in silence as Sam drove it along another dirt road. He glanced at Kensi who hissed in pain as he bounced over yet another large pothole. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It's okay, Sam" she said, giving him a faint smile which he did not return.

Deeks coughed nervously from where he was sitting in the back of the vehicle. The tension in the air was palpable. The only sound in the car was the digitalized voice of the GPS which popped on periodically giving directions. Hetty and Granger were making the trip in another car. Granger had decided to trade in the rental for something better suited for off road driving.

Kensi's eyes kept straying in Sam's direction and she couldn't help but notice the white knuckled grasp he had on the steering wheel, along with the fact that he was going much faster than he should have been. She didn't say anything though. She knew that he was anxious about Callen and she was as well. The stress they were all feeling was practically unbearable. Finally, the GPS announced "You have arrived at your destination."

The three passengers got out of the SUV and looked ahead in dismay. "Damn…" Sam said, immediately feeling a nervous knot in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the entrance of the mine. "Deeks, call Hetty." He began walking purposefully towards the wall of rock and dirt, leaving little doubt that he desired to be left alone.

"Kensi, you should sit inside the SUV," Deeks instructed softly. "We're going to be in for a long wait." He took out his cell phone and hit the dial button next to Hetty's name. She answered almost immediately.

"Yes, Mr. Deeks."

"It's true that there's a sealed up mine here, Hetty," Deeks said. "It looks pretty bad. You can tell whoever you've been speaking with to send a crew out."

"Thank you. We will get on that right away," Hetty said before clicking off the phone.

Deeks walked over to where Kensi was sitting in the front of the SUV. She was sitting sideways with the door open. "She's going to call…" Deeks said as he shoved his cell phone back into his pocket. Hetty had been unable to get a crew to assist in the rescue effort until it had been verified that the mine was indeed sealed up. They had not wanted to waste their resources on what might have been a wild goose chase. "Do you think Sam's okay? Should I go over to him?"

Kensi looked over at where Sam was standing in front of the caved in entrance to the mine and shook her head. "He's not okay," she said softly, "but I think its best that we leave him alone right now."

xxxxx

Sam slowly made his way over to the mine and stood in front of it as he just stared at what used to be the entrance. "Damn it G…I'm so sorry I didn't prevent this from this happening to you…" Just thinking about how dark and cold it would be in there made him inwardly shudder. It was a fate he would wish on only a few select mastermind criminals they had dealt with in the past, the lowest of the low, certainly not anyone he cared about and definitely not his partner. He pulled a small rock out from the pile and tossed it aside. He wondered how far this wall of rock extended to the inside of the mine. He knew that air wouldn't be an issue, but he had no idea how sick Callen would be by now and he knew from personal experience the torment one could go through when left trapped in the darkness. Although it wasn't the same thing as when he had been buried alive with his friend, the situations definitely had their similarities. He sighed heavily and turned around when he heard the sound of another vehicle approaching. Hetty and Granger exited the vehicle and he watched as Granger went over to Deeks and Kensi while Hetty headed in his direction.

"Sam, how are you doing?" Hetty gently grasped his arm and looked up at her agent's face.

"I'm fine, Hetty. G's the one you need to be worried about."

"You may be able to fool some people, but not me," Hetty said. She gazed at the entrance to the mine and couldn't help but be shaken by what she saw. She hated the thought of her boy being alone in there. Hadn't he gone through enough already?

"I can't help but wonder how far inside the mine he was when they set off the explosives," Sam said quietly. "If he was anywhere near the entrance…" he trailed off and shook his head, unable to keep the morbid thoughts in his mind at bay, knowing there was a very distinct possibility that his partner was already dead. If he was, he hoped it had been quick. He couldn't bear the thought of G dying slowly in there, all alone, hoping for a rescue that had never come.

"Sam, please don't do this to yourself," Hetty said, her eyes filled with emotion. "We must try to think positively. We have to have faith that he will get through this."

Sam nodded. He was trying very hard to do as she asked, but it wasn't easy. He kept flashing back to when he himself was buried alive and he hated the thought of G going through a similar experience. "Do you know how quickly the rescue team will get here?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Hetty admitted. "We contacted the local authorities and they in turn have contacted the local chapter of the National Cave Rescue Commission. We're hoping it won't take too long for them to organize a team and get here."

Sam ran his hand over his face and shook his head. "That doesn't sound like it's going to be done quickly, Hetty. Can't Granger get anyone here faster than that? We've got to get G out of there."

Hetty spoke slowly and soothingly, trying to calm both Sam and herself. "We need to be patient. These people are the best. This needs to be done safely, not only for Mr. Callen's sake, but for the safety of the rescue personnel as well. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

Sam nodded, knowing that she was right, but it didn't help with the anxiety he was feeling. "What?" He gave Hetty a blank look as he gazed at her. She had spoken to him again, but he had absolutely no idea what she had said.

"I asked if you have tried calling out to him."

Sam shook his head. "No…I guess I just assumed he wouldn't be able to hear me…" He felt stupid as he spoke the words, unable to believe he hadn't even thought to try. Man, he was really losing it over this.

Hetty looked at him expectantly and he moved closer to the entrance, leaning in so his face was right at the debris. "G! G! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" he yelled then put his ear adjacent to the caved in rocks. "G! IT'S SAM! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" He listened with bated breath, hoping with everything he had in him to hear the sound of Callen's voice, but he heard nothing. He moved back away from the rocks and shook his head at Hetty who patted his arm supportively.

"Don't lose heart, Mr. Hanna. I have a very strong feeling he is going to come out of this okay. But for now, come…let's go join your fellow team members."

xxxxx

Granger had watched as Hetty went over to speak with Sam and then he had headed over to Deeks and Kensi. "How are you two doing?" he asked gruffly. His gaze was mainly directed at Deeks who he hadn't seen since right before Callen had been abducted.

"We're fine," Kensi replied. Deeks nodded and echoed her response.

"I owe you an apology," Granger said, giving the young man a serious look. "We never should have left you on your own the way we did."

Deeks shook his head. "It's fine."

"No…no Deeks it wasn't fine. It was everything but fine," Granger contradicted. "The whole situation escalated out of control and it could have ended even worse than it did. I'm sorry we didn't give you adequate backup. I'm just glad that you're alright."

Deeks nodded, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Callen's the one you need to be worried about, not me."

"I worry about all of my people," Granger replied. He glanced over at Kensi and mentally noted how her legs were hanging off the edge of the seat. "I don't think you should have your leg hanging like that, Agent Blye. Your ankle is going to swell up."

"I think he's right, Kens," Deeks agreed softly. "You should probably either sit in the back so you can stretch out or just sit on the ground. It's going to be a long day here."

Kensi nodded. "I'll sit on the ground then," she said. She didn't want to sit in the back of the SUV. She wanted to be outside so she could see everything that was going on. Deeks helped her so situate herself on the ground and then sat down beside her to keep her company. The trio was pretty much silent until Hetty and Sam joined them.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, looking at him with obvious concern on her face.

"I'm good, Hetty," Deeks said, smiling up at her as he brushed the hair away from his eyes.

"Hmm…" she said, not looking very convinced. After all, he had only just been released from the hospital that morning, but she wasn't about to keep him away from this operation. She knew very well that he would be feeling some responsibility over what had happened to Callen, even though it was very much undeserved. "Stay out of the direct sunlight," she instructed him. "And drink plenty of water. You need to stay hydrated." She turned her attention to Kensi. "And how are you, Ms. Blye?"

"I'm alright, Hetty," Kensi replied.

"What I said to Mr. Deeks goes for you as well," Hetty stated. "I'd like to get you all home very soon and that won't happen if you keep winding up in the hospital."

"We won't end up back in the hospital, Hetty," Kensi said. "Don't worry about us."

Sam sighed, and started back towards the mine. All this small talk was just pointless. While they were out here chatting about mundane things like keeping out of the sunlight, G could be inside the mine dying in the darkness.

Hetty made a move to follow Sam when Granger shook his head. "Let me go, Henrietta," he said. She nodded and Granger headed off after Sam.

Sam mumbled under his breath when he realized Granger was trailing behind him. Couldn't anyone get he just wanted to be left alone? He was beyond annoyed with this whole situation. "What?!" he barked, turning around when he had once again reached the entrance to the mine.

Granger held up his hands and took a step back. "Whoa, Sam…I'm just making sure you're okay."

"No, I'm not okay, Granger," Sam said angrily. "G could be dying or already dead in there and we're out here twiddling our thumbs."

"I know you're frustrated…"

"You don't know anything," Sam said, shaking his head. "This is my partner and best friend we're talking about. Do you have any idea how helpless I'm feeling right now? And where the hell is this rescue team that's coming to get him out of here? They're taking their sweet time getting here."

"It hasn't been that long. These people are experts. We need to do this the right way."

"And to hell with G…I'm the only one who cares about him."

Granger sighed. "You know that's not true. Everyone out here cares about Callen."

"Yeah, whatever…" Sam clenched his fists and began pacing the width of the mine entrance. He knew he was becoming unhinged by the images assaulting his mind and his words were not entirely rational. He was sick and tired of this situation though. He wanted Callen out of here now.

xxxxx

Mercifully, the crew arrived about a half hour later. Unfortunately, it was determined that the structure was too unstable for a backhoe and a lot of the digging and manual labor was going to have to be done by hand. Sam was adamant that he be allowed to help and eagerly signed a form stating the rescue organization would be absolved of all responsibility if he were to sustain any kind of injury . Deeks watched the rescuers work longingly, cursing his condition which prevented him from being able to work alongside Sam. "It's okay, Deeks," Kensi said, taking his hand and squeezing it. "They'll get him out of here."

"I just wish I could help too," Deeks said, sighing heavily. "I hate just watching and waiting. All it does is make me feel even more helpless."

"I know," said Kensi. "I'd help too if I could, but we can't…there's nothing we can do about it."

Deeks nodded and took a sip from the bottle of water he was holding. He knew that Kensi was right, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with.

Hetty and Granger stood about 20 feet away from the younger team members, watching the rescuers moving the rock and debris. "Are you sure it's wise letting him do this?" Granger asked Hetty.

Hetty nodded. "I think it is, Owen. Sam is a man of action. I couldn't very well prohibit him from doing this, no more than I could stop Mr. Callen from helping if their situations were reversed." She knew that at least from a mental perspective, Sam was definitely better off working than sitting on the sidelines worrying about his partner.

"Yeah well, I really hope Callen's alive in there," Granger said as he gingerly massaged his temples, trying to ward off the tension headache he could feel beginning to form. "I can't imagine how Sam will react if he's not."

"I prefer not to think about that," Hetty stated. "I'm trying to be positive about this, Owen. Right now, I am assuming that Mr. Callen is very much alive."

Granger nodded. He really hoped that her assumption was correct.

xxxxx

Sam worked almost constantly throughout the day except for a few brief breaks to rest and to drink some water. He had been trying hard to focus on the task at hand and not dwell on what his partner could be going through inside the mine. Finally, just as the sun was setting over the horizon, they broke through. After that, things happened quickly. It didn't take long before they had enlarged the opening and it had been deemed to be stable enough for the men to enter the mine and search for Callen.

"I'm going with you guys," Sam called out as he started off in the direction of the rescue personnel about to enter the mine.

Hetty had made her way to the mine entrance once it had been successfully opened and quickly grabbed Sam's arm. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her eyes expressing what she didn't dare to verbalize.

"I have to, Hetty." Sam gently pulled away from her. "No matter what…I owe it to him to be there when he's found. Even if…" he trailed off, not wanting to say the unthinkable when he was so close to finding his friend.

She nodded as she watched him go. "Godspeed…to both of you…"

Sam grabbed a flashlight and impatiently bolted on ahead of the rescue team. There was only one way to go so there was no chance of him getting lost. He never gave a second thought to the darkness or the claustrophobic elements of the mine. His thoughts were focused on one thing only…finding his partner alive. The flashlight lit his way as he trotted through the tunnel, his body filled with tension. He had lost track of how many times in the past week he had been afraid that Callen could be dead. He hoped he would be lucky again. Finally, he halted as the high-powered beam of the flashlight found his partner and Sam stared at him in dismay. Broken was the best word he could think of to describe him. Callen was lying on the ground, curled up on his left side, with his arm cradling his abdomen. His hospital gown was dirty and tattered and as Sam moved closer he saw that there was dried blood splattered all over the gown where it covered his abdominal area. Two pieces of rope were lying on the ground beside him.

Sam knelt down next to Callen and noted right away that his breathing was harsh and labored and he was shivering. He shook his head, already not happy with what he was seeing as he felt for his pulse which was very fast. "He's over here!" Sam yelled in the direction of the rescue team, hoping to hurry them along. "G?" Sam gently took Callen's hand. "Hey buddy, can you hear me?" He got no response though. He felt his forehead and as he suspected, he was burning up with fever. "What the hell did they do to you?" He shuddered at just the thought of what G had gone through since he had been taken from the hospital. "I'm sorry this happened to you, G…I'm just so sorry."

The rescue team arrived and took over, taking Callen's vitals and giving him oxygen. When they lifted up his hospital gown, Sam cringed when he saw the deep purple bruising on the right side of Callen's abdomen. As the rescuers secured Callen onto the gurney and prepared to carry him out of the mine, Sam's thoughts were on Johnathan Page and how he wanted to find the man and tear him apart from limb to limb for what he had done to his partner.


	22. Chapter 22

Hetty, Granger, Deeks and Kensi were all waiting impatiently outside the mine when the rescuers and Sam emerged with Callen. Hetty put her hand up to her mouth, overwhelmed by the moment when she realized that Callen was alive. "Oh thank God," she whispered.

Kensi's eyes filled with tears as she gently hugged Deeks, being mindful of his injured shoulder.

"Sam?" Deeks gave him a questioning look, still not at ease with the situation. From what he could see, Callen looked much too pale and nothing about his appearance inspired confidence that he was okay.

Sam shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know, Deeks…he's in rough shape," he said as he followed the men carrying the gurney to the awaiting rough terrain ambulance. There was no way they were going to prevent him from accompanying his partner to the hospital.

"Come on, Henrietta. Let's go," Granger said as he started towards their vehicle.

Kensi and Deeks shared an uncertain look which Hetty didn't miss. "What is it?" she asked, looking first at Deeks and then Kensi.

"Sam drove us here," Kensi informed her.

"Oh?" Hetty questioned and then she understood the problem. "Oh, I see. " She called out to Granger. "Owen! I am going to drive Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks back. I will meet you at the hospital."

Granger nodded and then got into his rental. Hetty swiftly made her way to the ambulance so she could retrieve the keys from Sam and then returned to Kensi and Deeks. "I think perhaps the two of you should go to the hotel and get some rest," Hetty stated as they headed to the SUV. "It's been a very long day and you both just got out of the hospital."

Deeks shook his head. "I want to go to the hospital and wait for word on Callen," he said.

"Me too," Kensi said.

"I really think…" Hetty began, but Deeks interrupted her as they reached the vehicle. "Hetty, please. This is important. If you won't bring us to the hospital, Kensi and I will just go there ourselves after you drop us off at the hotel." He opened the front passenger door for Kensi and took her crutches so she could get in.

"Don't get cheeky with me, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said, shaking her finger at him. "Just because we're not in Los Angeles, doesn't mean you can undermine my authority."

"Come on, Hetty, please?" Deeks gave Hetty his very best beguiling smile.

"Oh fine," Hetty said, trying to appear stern but not pulling it off particularly well. "But once we get word of Mr. Callen's condition, both of you are going to the hotel and getting some sleep. No arguments."

"We will, Hetty. I promise," Deeks said, looking earnestly at the operations manager. He then closed Kensi's door, got into the back seat of the SUV and fastened his seatbelt as Hetty started up the engine.

xxxxx

Sam sat by Callen's head in the innermost part of the ambulance, doing his best to stay out of the way of the EMT who was working on him. He was trying to keep focused on his partner's bruised face, and keep his eyes averted from Callen's mutilated torso, as he whispered assurances to him. "Everything's going to be okay, G…I'm right here with you. You're not alone anymore. I'm not going to leave you…" He kept Callen's hand firmly gripped in his own until they arrived at the hospital and then he had to let go as they transported Callen into the ER. Unlike the time before, his pleas made no difference at all and he was not permitted to stay with Callen. The doors closed behind his partner and he was forced to stay behind in the waiting room.

About 20 minutes after Callen had been brought into the ER, Hetty, Granger, Deeks and Kensi joined Sam in the waiting room. "Sam, are you alright?" Hetty asked as she took a seat next to her agent.

Sam shook his head, looking overwhelmed. "I don't know what I am right now, Hetty," he replied. "They wouldn't let me stay with him and I promised him I would…"

"You'll be back with him soon enough," Hetty said softly. "You have to try to believe that."

"Those bastards beat him," Sam said, his eyes filled with emotion. "He was all bruised and his wound was opened up again. How do you beat someone who was in the kind of shape he was in? It wasn't bad enough that they planned for him to die, all alone, sealed up in that mine, but they needed to hurt him too?"

"People like that don't think the way we do, Agent Hanna," Granger said, breaking into the discussion, his tone unusually gentle. "There's something missing in them."

"Yeah well this Page guy is going to have a missing head when I get through with him," Sam said his mood quickly turning to anger. His emotions were all over the place. He turned to Hetty. "How is that coming, by the way? Have Eric and Nell gotten anywhere trying to trace that cell phone number?"

Hetty shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sam. The phone has remained off since your conversation. "

"What about Jeff Anderson?" he asked.

"He's a ghost right now," Hetty said. "Hopefully, he will turn up."

"That's just great," Sam sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

"We will find them, Sam," Hetty said, patting his arm reassuringly.

xxxxx

"Can I get you a drink or something to eat?" Deeks asked, as he took Kensi's crutches from her and leaned them against the wall.

"I'm alright, Deeks," Kensi smiled at him as she seated herself in one of the waiting room chairs. She shifted about, trying to make herself comfortable as Deeks sat down beside her. "Maybe we can grab a late dinner somewhere after we find out that Callen is going to be okay."

Deeks sighed heavily. "Do you think he looked okay, Kensi?" he asked somberly. "Because I don't think he looked very good at all."

Kensi nervously gnawed on her lip before answering him. "He's going to be okay, Deeks…he has to be…"

"Us wishing it isn't going to make it come true," he said quietly. "It doesn't work that way."

"But being pessimistic won't help either." Kensi took his hand and held it in her lap. "We just have to hope and pray that Callen is going to get through this and he'll be coming home with us really soon."

Deeks looked over at Sam who was speaking with Hetty and Granger. He had deliberately chosen seats a little bit away from them in order to give Sam some space. "Sam's pretty much a basket case," he said. "I know how bad I feel about this, but I can't even imagine how I would feel if it was you behind those doors over there…"

"It's not me, Deeks." Kensi picked up his hand and gently kissed it before resting it back in her lap. "And I know you're still blaming yourself for this, no matter how many times we tell you that it wasn't your fault."

"Can you honestly tell me if it was you, that you wouldn't feel any guilt?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

Kensi sighed softly. "I don't know, Deeks…I would hope I would listen to my friends and trust that they were telling me the truth when they said they didn't blame me for what happened. Also, I would know that I had done everything in my power to keep Callen safe and there wasn't anything else I could have done. You were up against too many people, Deeks. All you could have done was ended up in the hospital for an even longer time or you could have been killed."

"She's right, Deeks," Sam said. He had quietly come up beside his younger team members and couldn't help but overhear their conversation. "I thought we talked about this, man…you need to stop. G wouldn't want you to be blaming yourself like this, especially when you did all that you could do."

"It's not that easy, Sam," Deeks said in a voice just barely louder than a whisper.

"I know it's not. You don't think I'm blaming myself too?"

Deeks looked up at Sam. "Why? You weren't even there."

"Exactly," said Sam, nodding. "I wasn't there when he needed me."

"But Hetty ordered you to go to the hotel, Sam," Kensi said. "It wasn't your fault you weren't there."

"Come on, Kensi," Sam said. "I could have forced the issue. I could have stayed with him. Hetty may have been pissed at me but that's where it would have ended. She cares about G too much to have ever made that big a deal over it if I hadn't done as she ordered. Plus, I know she's shouldering blame for this as well. Most of us are in one way or another."

She nodded as she looked at Deeks. "He's right, you know, Deeks. Granger apologized to you earlier. He must be feeling guilty as well."

"I guess," Deek acquiesced although still not entirely convinced.

"Anyhow Deeks," said Sam. "All of this guilt is going to be for nothing because G is going to pull through this and he won't be real happy if he finds out we were all throwing a pity party over which of us was most to blame for what happened to him."

"I'm not having a pity party," Deeks said, glaring at Sam.

"Glad to hear it," Sam said, returning Deeks' glare with a smile. "Granger and I are going to get some coffee. You two want some?"

"Yeah, coffee sounds good, Sam. Thanks," Kensi answered. She could definitely use the caffeine. She looked at Deeks who remained silent for a few long moments until finally he nodded.

"I'll have some too, Sam…thank you…for everything…"

"You're welcome, Deeks," said Sam. He patted the younger man's shoulder and headed over to where Granger was waiting for him.

xxxxx

An hour turned to two hours and they were still waiting for word on Callen. Sam's earlier optimism was gone and had been replaced by an increasing sense of foreboding. "It shouldn't be taking this long, Hetty," he said, shaking his head. Hetty patted his hand but she didn't contradict him. Inwardly, her own thoughts were rapidly spiraling downward as well. In this case, she was pretty sure that no news was bad news. Finally, a young nurse came out and called for Sam. "Mr. Hanna? The doctor would like to speak to you." Four pairs of eyes followed Sam as he walked through the doors to the patient care area of the ER.

xxxxx

Sam followed the nurse who led him into a curtained partition where Callen lay. "The doctor will be right with you," she said as she left him with his partner. Sam immediately felt tears come to his eyes as he walked to Callen's side. He had been put on a ventilator again and, like before, he was attached to numerous monitors. "I'm so sorry, G," Sam whispered as he took his friend's hand. "This never should have happened to you."

"Mr. Hanna?"

Sam quickly swiped the back of his hand over his eyes then turned to face yet another unfamiliar doctor.

"I'm Dr. Gregory."

Sam nodded. "How is he?" he asked, staring back at the doctor who Sam thought barely looked old enough to have graduated from medical school.

"Well…he's holding his own at the moment. I've gone over his medical records and spoken to Dr. Hathaway and we've both come to the same conclusion."

"Which is?"

"We believe Mr. Callen is suffering from sepsis. His current symptoms and serious abdominal infection strongly support this."

"Damn…" Sam shook his head trying to keep his emotions under control. "That's not good…"

"I won't lie to you. He's a very sick man, but he has no underlying medical issues and he's strong which will help him fight this. On the positive side, he has no signs of organ failure."

"But?"

Dr. Gregory sighed. "But we're going to have to wait and see. He is running a high fever. His blood pressure is very low and his breathing was not good which is why he's on the ventilator. He's going to be transferred back to the ICU and hopefully the medicine and his constitution will get him through this."

"He hates being on a ventilator," Sam said unhappily.

"He was struggling too hard to breathe," Dr. Gregory said. "We did it to ease some of the stress on his body. Hopefully, he won't have to be on it for too long."

Sam anxiously looked at his partner and then back at the doctor. "Do…do you think he'll be okay?"

"I have never bet against a patient, Mr. Hanna," Dr. Gregory said. "I'm not about to start now."

xxxxx

Sam dejectedly headed back out towards the waiting room. He wasn't looking forward to delivering the bad news to his friends. Hetty was the first one to see Sam as he walked towards them and she knew from the way he was carrying himself that the news was not good.

"Mr. Hanna?" she said, inwardly bracing herself for whatever it was he had to say.

"The doctor said he has sepsis," Sam said. "That damn infection just has hold of him and won't let go."

"Did he give you any kind of a prognosis?" Granger asked, looking worried.

Sam shrugged. "He said he's holding his own right now. He's back on a ventilator to help with his breathing." He shook his head. "He was trying to put a positive spin on it, but…I don't know…"

"Callen's strong," Deeks said quietly, his eyes troubled as he spoke.

"He's a fighter, Sam," Kensi said, trying hard to be optimistic. "You know he is."

"Sometimes it's hard to fight when you keep getting knocked down, no matter how hard you're trying though," Sam responded.

"He's not going to give up, Sam," Hetty said. "We can't give up on him either."

"I won't give up," Sam said. "I never would."

"So, are they bringing him up to the ICU?" Granger asked.

Sam nodded. "They are getting him ready to go. They're going to come get me when they're ready to transport him. "

"Before you do that, I'd like to get your input on agents who you trust so we can assemble two teams for protection detail. I'm not going to leave any openings for Page and his goons this time around."

"I can do that," Sam said as he and Granger stepped aside to discuss the matter, leaving Hetty alone with Deeks and Kensi.

"So Mr. Deeks," Hetty began as she reached into her handbag and pulled out a hotel keycard. "If I remember correctly, a promise was made to me back at the mine."

Deeks sighed, but he nodded. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was exhausted and his head was pounding. He also knew Kensi was in a fair amount of pain although she had been trying to hide it from him. "You'll let us know if anything changes?"

"Yes, of course I will," Hetty said, nodding. "Now, please, the two of you go have a nice dinner and get some rest. If you're not up to going out, get room service. I believe it is available until 1 a.m. The food at the hotel restaurant is supposedly quite good."

Deeks grabbed Kensi's crutches and waited patiently for her to stand up and balance herself. "Thank you, Hetty," he said.

"Good night, Hetty," Kensi said. "Please try to get some rest yourself. You know Callen wouldn't want you to worry yourself sick over him."

"I will be fine, Ms. Blye. Now off with you. I'm sure I will see you tomorrow at some point."

"Good night," Deeks said. The two gave a quick goodbye to Sam and Granger and then headed off to get a taxi to take them to the hotel.

About a half hour after Kensi and Deeks left, the nurse from earlier came out into the waiting room and beckoned to Sam, who went to accompany his partner to the ICU. At that point, Granger came back over to Hetty. "Henrietta, I'm going to the Security Office and discuss an enhanced security protocol until our agents get here. Do you want to join me?"

Hetty internally debated before shaking her head. "I'm sure you can handle that, Owen. I think I'm going to head back to the hotel. I'll be back here early tomorrow morning." She felt emotionally drained by all that had been happening over the past few days and knew she needed to rest. She was not as young as she used to be. Not to mention, a good old fashioned crying spell might be exactly what she needed to try to cope with these latest disturbing developments, as she wondered whether her boy would ever fully recover, physically and emotionally, from all that had happened to him.


	23. Chapter 23

Sam stood and watched while the ICU staff got Callen situated. He couldn't help but think how small and fragile his partner looked in the current setting. Everything he had gone through was definitely taking its toll. G didn't even look like himself. He was extremely pale and still and Sam didn't even want to think about how much weight he had lost. Finally, they finished setting up all the monitors and Sam and Callen were left alone. "Well, G…looks like you've got another battle ahead of you," Sam said softly as he stood next to Callen's bedside and took his hand. "But the team and I are going to be right here for you, every step of the way. Whatever you need from us, we've got your back. I just…I cannot lose you, G… not after all that has happened. You need to fight your way through this so we can all go home together." He watched Callen closely, looking for any sign that he could hear him or was aware of his presence, but there was nothing. "That's okay, G…" Sam sat down in the chair next to his bed but kept a firm grasp on Callen's hand. "You sleep now…you deserve it, but when you've rested enough, and you're ready to wake up, I'm going to be right here waiting for you…"

xxxxx

Deeks opened the door to the hotel room, switched on the light and waited for Kensi to go in ahead of him. "Oh Deeks…" Kensi said, her gaze drawn to the view of the multi-colored glittering lights of the city from their window. "It's breathtaking." She slowly made her way over to the sofa and sat down, entranced by the sight of the Space Needle which was beautifully lit up with a half-moon casting a beam of light just above it.

Deeks sat down beside her, glad to have a little bit of pleasure in the midst of what had been a taxing and exhausting day. "You're breathtaking," he said softly as he wrapped his arm around her.

Kensi knew she was far from breathtaking at that moment, but she appreciated his compliment nonetheless. She rested her head on his shoulder for a few minutes and allowed her eyes to close but then giggled when his stomach began to rumble.

"Oh you think that's funny, do you?" Deeks asked, grinning at her.

"I think you'd better grab the room service menu and order something really fast or you're going to have to find a late night Chinese food place that delivers," Kensi said with a smile.

"I guess you're right about that." Deeks reached for the leather bound hotel guide on the coffee table and found the room service menu. "What do you feel like?" he asked.

Kensi yawned sleepily. "Mm…I don't know. It's so late. Nothing too heavy, just something to tide me over until tomorrow morning. What do they have on there?"

Deeks skimmed through the menu. "Let's see…they have salads, sandwiches, pizza, some dinner entrees, but I don't think we want those, desserts."

"I don't know," said Kensi. "Maybe pizza? What kinds of desserts are there?"

"They've got roasted apple crisp, big chocolate…"

"What's big chocolate?" Kensi asked.

"It's a moist chocolate cake layered with creamy chocolate pudding and topped with chocolate chunks," he read off the menu.

Kensi made a face and shook her head. "That sounds too rich…way too much chocolate…"

"Really?" asked Deeks, smiling playfully. "I didn't think there was any such thing as too much chocolate where you were concerned."

"Very funny," said Kensi. "Even I have my limits and that definitely exceeds them. What else?"

"Passion fruit cheesecake," he said winking at her. "And a fresh fruit plate with raspberry sorbet."

"Oh that sounds good," she said, nodding in approval. "I think I'll skip the pizza and just have the fruit plate."

"Okay." He browsed through the menu again. "Actually, I think I'll get that as well. They have really good choices for breakfast. I think I'll just get something more substantial in the morning." He reached for the phone on the side table, next to the sofa, and called down to order their food. "They said 15 to 20 minutes," he said after he had hung up the phone.

"That's not too bad," Kensi said. She painstakingly raised her leg up and rested it on the coffee table, wincing a little as she did so.

"Let me get you a pillow," Deeks said. He got up and headed to the bedroom, then returned with an over-stuffed pillow, which he gently placed under her foot. "Better?" he asked, looking at her with concern evident in his eyes.

"I'm fine, Deeks. Thank you." She patted the spot next to her. "Sit. I know you're exhausted."

"I won't deny it." Deeks sighed as he dropped to the sofa and leaned his head back, allowing his body to totally relax. "It was a very long day."

"At least we found him," Kensi said, gently brushing Deeks' hair off his forehead. "I know it's still not the best situation, but it's better than Callen being missing and us thinking the worst."

"I know…I just wish he wasn't so badly injured and now with the sepsis…" He shook his head fretfully. "I really hope he gets through this, Kensi."

"Just try to get your mind off it for now, Deeks," Kensi said, resting her head on his chest. "Dwelling on it isn't going to help Callen recover any sooner."

"I know," he said, letting his gaze drift over the vibrant cityscape outside their window. It really was an amazing view. Hetty had certainly gone all out getting this suite for them. He yawned and allowed his eyes to close. The sofa was very comfortable. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

A loud rapping on the door to their suite abruptly awoke Deeks and Kensi who had also drifted off. Deeks rose from the sofa and went to answer the door then quickly returned, a few moments later, with the two fruit plates on a tray. "Oh those are so pretty," Kensi said, admiring the artistically placed fruit and sorbet on each plate. "They almost look too nice to eat."

"Really?" Deeks speared a half strawberry with his fork and put it into his mouth. "Mm… delicious. If you're not going to eat yours, I'll do it for you," he said with a teasing smile. "I can take a picture of it first if you want."

Kensi shook her head, trying to hide her amusement as she nibbled on a slice of cantaloupe. "It really is good," she said with a contented sigh.

Deeks nodded, but didn't answer her as he continued to eat. Now that he had started on the fruit, he realized how hungry he really was. The two continued to eat until both plates were empty. They then sat cuddled together as they enjoyed the view, both getting more and more sleepy. Finally Deeks roused Kensi who was dozing against him. "Hey baby," he said, giving her a light kiss on the lips. "We really need to go to bed. "

"I can stay here," Kensi murmured sleepily.

Deeks shook his head. "Come on, Kensi. The bed looks very comfortable. You'll sleep better there. "

Kensi nodded, still half asleep. "Okay." She struggled to awaken and raise herself off the sofa as Deeks handed her the pair of crutches. He patiently walked behind her as she slowly made her way to the bedroom and then they helped each other to get ready for bed. A short time later, the two were wrapped together, fast asleep.

xxxxx

Having completed the arrangements for a group of agents to be brought in as security detail for Callen, Assistant Director Granger drove the rental to a 24 hour restaurant, bought some food and drinks, then returned to the hospital and headed to the ICU. He hesitated at the doorway to Callen's cubicle when he saw Agent Hanna holding Callen's hand and participating in a one-sided conversation with his partner. Finally he cleared his throat and entered the small room. "Granger," Sam said, looking up at the other man through tired eyes. "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow."

"It took me some time to set up the security. I was able to get most of the agents you suggested. Atkins and Rollins are out on assignment but the rest of them should be here within the next day. Fredericks, Bates and Campbell are on a flight landing in about an hour and a half. I'll assign one of them outside the ICU and two of them right outside this room. They'll be checking IDs and making sure everyone is who they say they are and where they're supposed to be. "

Sam nodded. "That's good." He was pretty sure Page wouldn't even know G had been rescued from the mine, but they couldn't be too careful as far as he was concerned.

"Any change?" Granger asked, his eyes fixed on Callen.

"No…nothing yet," Sam replied.

"Well…it hasn't been very long," Granger said. "I guess we need to give the medicine a chance to do its job."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, it's hard though…he's been out of it for a while now."

"He was doing pretty well before Henrietta and I left him that day," Granger said, shaking his head, a trace of a smile on his lips. "Honestly, I thought he was going out of his way to irritate me…"

"Yeah?" Sam couldn't help but smile at the thought of Callen deliberately trying to annoy Granger. He wished he had been there to see it.

Granger nodded. "He kept turning the television on and off, switching channels. He was bored to distraction…that's why Henrietta wanted to get him the tablet, but…I should have just let her go alone. I honestly don't know what I was thinking leaving him with Kensi and Deeks when they were both injured…I guess I didn't really think anything would happen. I was wrong. I'm sorry about that…"

Sam sighed softly. He still didn't like thinking about what had taken place and how G had ended up in Page's clutches, but his anger over what had happened was pretty much gone now. "You trusted Anderson. Anyhow, Page assembled a group which was bigger than any of us could have anticipated. It wouldn't have mattered if you had stayed. You likely would have ended up as another casualty."

"I just wish I hadn't trusted Anderson," Granger stated. "He wasn't with NCIS for all that long…I should have been smarter about who I chose."

"We've got G back now," Sam said, his eyes once again on his ailing partner. "That's all that matters. He just needs to get well and we need to get that bastard who did this to him."

"I hope we can do that," Granger said. "Unfortunately, money is no object to this guy. He can easily make himself disappear… unless…"

"Unless what?" Sam asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Granger shook his head quickly.

"Tell me," Sam demanded, already pretty sure he knew what Granger was hinting at.

"Unless we draw him out."

"Use G as bait? When he's sick like this? Are you crazy? That's not happening," Sam said, his anger flaring as he shook his head vigorously.

"Of course it's not happening now," Granger said, already regretting his words when Sam was so emotional and Callen was in such bad shape. "In any case, I wouldn't even think about it until he's doing better and we'd make sure he was protected."

"Yeah, well I'm not thinking about it at all. Not now. Not when he's doing better either," Sam stated. Just the thought of endangering his partner again sent a chill down his spine. He'd been through too much. It was not a risk Sam would be willing to take. He didn't even bother to debate Granger about the so-called protection that would be provided. No protection, no matter how well thought out or supposedly fool-proof, was ever one hundred percent.

Granger let the matter drop. If and when the time came, it would be Callen's decision how it was handled, not Sam's. In any case, it wasn't anything that would be decided now. He'd never put anything into play until Callen was well on the road to recovery and able to defend himself. He was a long way from that at the moment. He decided to change the subject. "I don't think you ate anything all day today…well I guess it was yesterday," he began.

"I'm not leaving him," Sam snapped.

"Calm down, Sam," Granger tried to soothe the man who he could see was barely hanging by a thread. He badly needed to eat something and get some rest. "I'm not expecting you to leave him. I just wanted to say I brought you some food." He placed the bag he was carrying on Callen's bed. "Salad, a sandwich, some snacks and drinks."

"Oh," Sam felt his cheeks flush, feeling a little bit foolish for having jumped to conclusions so quickly. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"Okay, well…" Granger was a bit uncomfortable now and more than ready to leave. "I'm actually going to head out to the airport to pick up our agents and brief them on the way back here. You take care of yourself, Sam. Try to rest if you can. Just so you know, there's a hospital security guard stationed outside his room for now."

Sam nodded. "Okay…thank you and thanks for bringing the food."

"I'll see you later, Sam," Granger gave a quick wave and headed out of the cubicle.

Sam didn't really feel all that hungry, but he knew it was important to keep his strength up. G needed him and he didn't want to let him down. He opened the bag and pulled out the salad and a bottle of green tea then resumed his vigil over his partner.

xxxxx

Hetty turned restlessly in bed, yet again, and looked at the time on the digital clock which was sitting on the nightstand next to her bed. 4:37 a.m. Except for a few brief periods of what could only be described as catnaps, she had not slept at all. Her thoughts were constantly on Callen. She had left the hospital, wanting to give Sam some much needed alone time with his partner, but she didn't think she could stay away much longer. She got out of bed and went to the kitchenette to make herself a cup of tea, hoping it would relax her enough to sleep. She kept thinking about how Callen had looked when they brought him out of the mine though, beaten and unconscious. Then her thoughts would go to how he must have felt while trapped in there, all alone in the darkness, wondering if he was going to die. She was sure he had suffered tremendously and the thought of what he had gone through just about broke her heart. Finally, she couldn't bear it any longer. She had to see him, if just for a short while. She quickly showered and dressed then went down to the garage, where the SUV was parked, and headed to the hospital.

When Hetty arrived at the ICU, she was greeted outside the unit by an exceptional agent, who she knew and liked very well, Janice Bates. "Janice, I didn't realize Owen had recruited you," she said, smiling at the young woman. "Would you like to see my ID?"

Janice laughed. "I don't think that's necessary, Hetty." She quickly grew serious, however. "I'm so sorry to hear about Agent Callen. He's a good man. I hope he recovers very soon."

"As do I, my dear," Hetty said, nodding. "As do I..." She pressed the button for the ICU entrance and after identifying herself to the nurse, she was buzzed in. A few minutes later, she was outside Callen's room where she greeted the two NCIS agents stationed there, Paul Fredericks and Bill Campbell, both men who were professional and who she believed to be trustworthy. She had to admit, Owen seemed to have done well as far as getting adequate protection for her boy. She quietly made her way into Callen's room and saw Sam, fast asleep, with his hand protectively over Callen's. It touched her heart to see how much Sam cared for him.

She walked quietly to the opposite side of the bed from Sam and gently brushed her fingers over Callen's bruised cheek. "Eu sunt atât de rău acest lucru sa întâmplat cu tine, Grisha. Trebuie să obţineţi bine, baiete. Toti avem iubirea şi grija pentru foarte mult," she whispered as a few tears trailed down her cheeks.

Sam stirred and his eyes opened. He seemed confused for a moment as he looked at Hetty then sat up straighter. "Hi, Hetty," he said, still somewhat sleepy. "Uh, what time is it?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said. "It's very, very early. I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's okay," Sam murmured. He glanced at his partner, but did not see any apparent change. "Would you like to sit down?" he asked.

Hetty shook her head. "No. I just needed to see him. I'm not planning to stay here long."

"You can stay as long as you'd like, Hetty," Sam said quietly. "I know how important he is to you."

She nodded. "You are all important to me," she said, looking at Sam thoughtfully. "How are you doing? Have you gotten yourself anything to eat?"

"Granger took care of that," Sam said, nodding towards the bag which he had placed on Callen's nightstand.

"That was good of him to do," Hetty said. Sometimes Owen did manage to surprise her.

"It was," Sam said. Then he covered his mouth, unable to hold back a yawn.

"I should go," Hetty said, realizing how exhausted Sam was and unsure how well he would rest if she was there.

Sam quickly shook his head as he stiffly got up from the chair. "I'm going to go get a cup of coffee," he said. "Why don't you sit with him while I'm gone? Can I get you something?"

"No, no, I'm fine, Sam. Thank you." Hetty smiled at him as he left the room and then went to sit in the chair he had just relinquished. She lightly patted the top of Callen's hand. "You're very lucky to have a partner who cares about you so much, Mr. Callen," she said softly. "You need to try very hard to get well for him…for all of us." She allowed a few more tears to fall as she watched over him. She hated seeing him hurt so badly. She only hoped that he was resting peacefully and was not experiencing any of the nightmares she knew he was prone to. At least he wasn't tossing and turning which she took to be a good sign.

xxxxx

Sam decided to give Hetty a bit of time alone with Callen. The cafeteria was not yet open so, after a trip to the restroom, he got a cup of barely passable coffee from a vending machine and then found a quiet area where he could call Michelle. Although it was early, he knew she would be up. He had texted her the day before to tell her that Callen had been found, but had not spoken to her. She answered almost immediately after he had hit the dial button. "Hello?"

"Hey baby," Sam smiled into the phone, happy to hear her voice. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Sam. How are you? How's Callen?"

"I'm fine. G's hanging in there."

"Where was he? You never said."

Sam sighed heavily. "He was trapped in a mine. He was beaten pretty badly and Page sealed him up in there. He hasn't regained consciousness. The doctor said he has sepsis. He's still on a ventilator." He recited the medical facts, thinking how detached he sounded as he did so, when that was the furthest thing from the truth.

Michelle's hesitation was apparent as the other end of the line was momentarily silent. "Sam? Are you sure you're okay?"

He swallowed hard, his emotions threatening to bubble to the surface which wasn't what he wanted right then. "Yeah…yeah, baby, I'm good."

"I could come. I could be there in just a few hours."

He almost said yes. Just the thought of holding his wife in his arms and letting go of his emotions was more than a little bit tempting. However, he didn't want her to have to spend all her time at the hospital and he wasn't about to leave G any time soon. For him to drag her away from their daughter just to be with and console him would be selfish. "No, Michelle. I'm at the hospital all the time. I think it would be better for you to stay with Kamran…"

"Alright…if you're sure."

"I am. I love you, Michelle. I'll talk to you soon."

"I love you too, Sam. Give my love to that partner of yours. Tell him I expect to be seeing him for dinner real soon."

"I will. Bye, baby." He clicked off the phone and closed his eyes in exhaustion, relishing the relative silence, without the constant beeps and alarms heard in the ICU. In very real danger of falling asleep, Sam finally forced his eyes open and headed back to resume watching over his partner.


	24. Chapter 24

"Hi, Sam. How's he doing?" Jennifer, the dark-haired respiratory therapist asked as she walked into Callen's ICU cubicle.

"No change that I've noticed," Sam said, sounding a bit discouraged. A therapist came in to check on Callen every four hours like clockwork. He or she would check ventilator settings and perform a number of protocols which were necessary before they would be able to take his partner off the ventilator. Jennifer was the current therapist.

"Why don't you see if you can rouse him," Jennifer suggested to Sam after she had checked Callen once again.

"Yeah?" Sam asked and she nodded with a reassuring smile.

"Hey G? Hey buddy, it's me, Sam. Come on…come on, buddy, wake up for me." He gently squeezed his hand then increased the pressure on his grip, but Callen remained still. Disheartened, Sam loosened his grip. "Nothing."

"Don't be frustrated, Sam," Jennifer said. "He is definitely improving. His vital signs are better and his temperature is lower. I think he'll wake up soon. I'll be back once more before the end of my shift. We'll try again then, unless he's already woken up on his own. Okay?"

Sam nodded. "Thanks, Jennifer." She left the room and Sam got up from his chair with a slight moan, walking around in the limited space and stretching his muscles out. He felt stiff and sore and had to admit he was starving. He definitely needed to go and get something for lunch before much longer. Hetty had gone and gotten him some breakfast before leaving that morning, but that had been hours ago and the persistent growling sounds coming from Sam's stomach were a constant reminder that he needed to eat. He sat back down and a few minutes later, his cell phone, which was placed on top of the nightstand, vibrated and Sam picked it up. He smiled as he downloaded, then looked at, the image sent from his daughter. It was a picture of a hand-drawn card with what he assumed to be a drawing of Callen and Kamran. There was a sun, blue sky, grass, trees and flowers with big letters which said "I Love You, Uncle Callen. Get Well Soon."

He texted back a thank you to his daughter, assuring her that he would be sure to show the card to Callen, once he was awake. "G…I really wish you'd wake up," he said, his eyes on his partner once again. "Everybody says you're starting to improve, but I'd really appreciate it if you could wake up and prove it to me." He took his hand again and squeezed it encouragingly. "Come on, buddy, let me see those pretty blue eyes that all the ladies like so much."

"I can show you my pretty blue eyes, if you'd like," Deeks said, grinning as he came into the cubicle, carrying a couple of brown paper bags. "How's he doing?"

Sam shrugged and sighed heavily. "I don't know, Deeks. Everyone says he's doing better, but seeing him like this, it's just kind of hard to believe."

Deeks nodded. "I get that, Sam, but you know how tough he is. He's not going to let you down."

"I know…he could never let me down," Sam said.

"So, how about you, Sam? You doing okay?" Deeks grabbed a chair that Sam had brought into the room that morning and sat down.

"I'm alright," Sam said.

"Really?" Deeks asked, not looking convinced. "You need to take a break? I can stay with him for a while."

Sam shook his head. "No, I'm good. Wait, is Kensi here?" he asked. If she was, he would give his two team members a chance to visit with Callen for a while. He would just sit in the waiting area right outside the ICU.

"No," Deeks said, shaking his head. "She was in a lot of pain this morning. I convinced her to stay at the hotel and rest."

"That was a good idea," Sam said with a nod. "You probably could use some rest yourself."

"You trying to get rid of me?" Deeks teased.

"If I wanted to get rid of you, Deeks, you'd know it," Sam said with a smirk.

"Not to mention, if you were to get rid of me, you wouldn't get this," Deeks said, handing a paper bag to Sam.

"Oh thank you, Deeks," Sam said as he opened the bag and pulled out a salad. "I'm starved."

"It's an Asian Tempeh Salad," said Deeks as he handed him the other bag. "And in here are a Blue Coconut Smoothie and a Tropical Breeze Smoothie."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Sam said as he tore open the wrapping covering the plastic knife, fork and spoon set. "Aren't you going to have anything?"

Deeks shook his head. "No. Kensi and I had a huge breakfast this morning. I had the best waffles I've ever tasted." He patted his stomach contentedly. "I'm definitely good until dinner."

"G likes waffles," Sam said, his demeanor forlorn again.

"He can have them soon enough," Deeks said, trying to boost Sam's spirits. "Once he's sprung from this place, I'm sure Hetty will let him stay in the hotel for a night or two before flying back to LA."

"You sure you don't want any of this?" Sam decided to change the subject as he took a forkful of the salad. "Mm, this is great."

"No. I'm good." Deeks shook his head. "So, has anyone else been here today?" he asked, as his gaze rested on Callen.

"Hetty was here at the crack of dawn," Sam said. "I don't think she got any sleep at all."

"I'd say that goes for you too," Deeks observed.

"Yeah well…" Sam shrugged. "You know how it is…"

Deeks nodded. "Yeah, yeah I do…"

The two men were quiet for a few minutes as Sam ate and Deeks found himself listening to the beeps of the monitors. His gaze drifted towards Callen once again and he was startled to see the patient's blue eyes open and looking back at him. "Sam!"

"What the hell, Deeks." Sam jumped slightly, almost dropping the salad onto the floor.

"Look," Deeks pointed in Callen's direction.

"G!" Sam grabbed Callen's hand as he saw his partner's familiar panicked reaction due to the ventilator. He pressed the buzzer with his free hand. "Come on, G. You know the drill. Don't fight it. You're alright. I'm right here with you."

A nurse came quickly into the cubicle and immediately noted the situation. "The respiratory therapist is right down the hall," she announced. "I'll get her."

"G, you've got to calm down," Sam said, noting Callen's heart rate was starting to climb. "Come on, buddy. Everything is okay."

Dr. Hathaway, Callen's nurse and Jennifer, the respiratory therapist came into the now too crowded cubicle. "Can you two gentlemen step out, please?" Jennifer asked.

Deeks quickly complied with the request while Sam remained where he was. "I think it might be better if I stay," he said quietly, nodding at the white knuckled death grip Callen had on his hand.

"You really need to leave," the nurse said, but the doctor interrupted.

"That's fine. He can stay," he said. "Try to keep him calm."

Sam focused on his partner, quietly talking to him as the doctor performed a quick exam and Jennifer scanned the various ventilator settings. They then helped Callen to sit up and suctioning of his breathing tube and mouth was performed. Finally, the breathing tube cuff was deflated. Jennifer asked Callen to cough and the breathing tube was then removed. Callen continued to cough, clearly uncomfortable. Finally, he stopped coughing and appeared less agitated as he rested back against the pillows. "Welcome back, Mr. Callen," Dr. Hathaway said. "Are you breathing comfortably? Callen nodded as the doctor checked his vital signs. Finally, after asking Callen a few more questions, the trio of medical personnel left the room and Callen and Sam were finally alone.

Callen stared at his partner, an uncertain look in his eyes. "You okay?" Sam asked him. "Do you need something?"

"Are…are you real?" Callen finally asked him in a hoarse voice, staring at Sam as if he was a ghost.

Sam squeezed Callen's hand and then patted it. "Do I feel real?" he asked gently.

Callen nodded as a lone tear trickled down his cheek and he bowed his head, trying to control his emotions. "You're okay, G," Sam said soothingly. He reached for his partner and gently pulled him into a hug. "Everything's okay, buddy. It's over."

Callen allowed Sam to comfort him as he continued to try to get himself under control. Finally, the tears stopped and he pulled back and Sam gradually lessened his hold on him. "You good?" Sam asked, his eyes fixed on Callen's eyes, trying to read the other man.

Callen nodded, still seeming somewhat shaky. "How…how did you find me?" His voice was tremulous and he was visibly shaking as he pulled the blanket up more tightly around his body.

"You cold, G?" Sam asked uneasily. Callen was a nervous wreck. Sam couldn't recall ever seeing him like this. "You want me to have the nurse bring you another blanket?"

Callen shook his head. "I'm alright. This…this is real, right? It…it's not a trick?"

"I promise you, this is real," Sam said keeping the tone of his voice even as he tried to cover his concern. "A woman called me…she told me where you were and we found you."

"Alyssa…" Callen said. "I wasn't sure…I didn't know…" He shook his head, the memories of his time spent in the cave assaulting him as tears started again. "It…it was so bad, Sam…"

"I know," Sam said gently. "You're going to get through this, G. I'll do whatever I can to help you."

Callen nodded as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I know you will, Sam. Thank you," he whispered.

xxxx

In the hallway, outside Callen's ICU cubicle, Deeks had been pacing around nervously before the medical personnel had exited. None of them had addressed him though and he hadn't approached them, assuming they wouldn't have violated Callen's medical privacy, nor would he have asked them to. After giving Sam some time alone with his partner, he had peeked in a couple of times. Both times, Callen had appeared overwrought with emotions and he had backed off, not wanting to intrude. Finally, when he looked in a third time, Callen appeared to be somewhat calmer. "Hey, can I come in?" he asked somberly from the entrance to the cubicle.

Callen looked up to see Deeks and nodded. "Sure, come in Deek," he said quietly.

"How are you doing?" Deeks asked as he walked up to Callen's bedside.

"I'm okay," Callen replied, not sounding particularly sure of himself.

Deeks nodded. "That's good. We've been really worried about you. It's good to see you awake." He glanced at Sam and then back at Callen. "Well, I don't want to intrude. I just wanted to see you, make sure you're alright. I'm going to get back to Kensi, but…"

"Kensi?" Callen asked anxiously. "Why? Is she okay? Where is she?"

"G, Kensi's fine," Sam said reassuringly. "She's just at the hotel. She has a broken ankle, remember? She's just resting."

Deeks nodded, confirming what Sam had said. "Sam's right, Callen. Kensi is okay. She'll be happy to hear you're doing better."

Callen nodded, then looked down and started fidgeting with the blanket. "I'm glad she's okay Tell her I said hi."

"I will…Okay…well…I'll get going…give you guys some time to talk," Deeks said slowly. "I'll be back to see you tomorrow, okay? Kensi will probably come too."

"Okay," Callen replied, his voice soft. "Thanks Deeks."

"Take care of yourself, Callen."

Callen's eyes followed Deeks as he left the cubicle and then he resumed his nervous fidgeting with the blanket.

"You need anything, G?" Sam asked after Deeks had left.

"I…some water?" Callen asked uncertainly as he glanced at his partner. "Can I have it?"

"I'm not sure," Sam replied as he reached for the buzzer and pressed the button. "Let's find out," he said with a soft smile.

Callen shifted in bed and there was a hitch in his breathing as he winced.

"You in pain, G?" Sam asked worriedly.

"I…yeah some," Callen admitted.

Callen's nurse came into the cubicle, a smile on her face. "Are you doing okay?" she asked him. "What can I do for you?"

Callen looked at her and then spoke hesitantly. "I…am I allowed to have water?" he asked.

The nurse nodded. "Yes, you are. I'll get you some." She turned to leave the room when Sam called her back.

"He's in pain," Sam informed her. "Maybe you could get him something?"

She looked at Callen who was staring down at his lap and then nodded at Sam. "He's about due for his next dose of pain medication anyway," she said.

"You feel like talking, G?" Sam asked after the nurse had left.

Callen shook his head quickly, his eyes appearing haunted. "No…I really don't want to talk about it."

Sam slowly nodded. "I know you don't…eventually you're going to have to though. You know that, right?"

Callen's breathing quickened as he nervously began fidgeting with his blanket again. "Sam…I appreciate you being here and everything you've done for me, but…but, I just woke up…I really, really don't want to talk about it, okay?" His voice rose then broke and he looked on the verge of tears once again. Sam immediately regretted pushing him. It was obvious Callen was traumatized and Sam was only succeeding in making it worse on him.

"You're right…I'm sorry. I won't push you, G, okay? I'm sorry." He rubbed his partner's shoulder gently, trying to calm him. "Just relax…take it easy. Everything's going to be alright. You'll get through this, okay? I promise, we're going to get you through this..."


	25. Chapter 25

The nurse quickly returned with a pitcher of ice water and some plastic cups which she placed on Callen's bedside table. "Don't drink it too quickly," she instructed with a soft smile as she used a syringe to begin to inject some medicine into Callen's IV. "You don't want to upset your stomach." Callen's eyes widened as he eyed her nervously and his heart and respiratory rates began rising. "Are you okay?" The nurse asked with concern as she finished injecting the medication.

Callen nodded. "Yes…yes, I'm good," he said, forcing himself to regulate his breathing and settle his nerves.

The nurse noted that his vital signs were normalizing and seemed satisfied. "Okay, you know how to get me if you need anything."

Callen nodded silently and Sam thanked her as she left the room.

"G? What was that about?" Sam asked his partner, his tone quietly concerned.

Callen shook his head, fighting the urge to play with the blanket again. He was pretty sure Sam already thought he was losing it and doing things like that would only confirm his suspicions. "I don't know," he finally whispered.

"Come on, man…something spooked you."

"I…it just reminded me of when I was abducted…" he said, nervously gnawing his lower lip. "Alyssa drugged me through the IV…It's not a big deal."

Sam nodded, realizing all of this was a very big deal whether his partner wanted to admit it or not. "Why don't you drink some water," he suggested as he picked up the pitcher and poured some of the icy liquid into a cup and handed it to Callen. "Might make you feel better."

Callen gripped the cup tightly, afraid that his hand would start shaking and he would drop it, but he was able to keep it steady. He took a small sip of water and then repeated it. The cool liquid felt really good as it soothed his parched, dry throat. "That's good," he said as he took another sip then placed the cup on the tray. He could feel himself rapidly beginning to tire but he was desperately trying to fight against sleep.

"You should get some rest, G," Sam said softly, noting his partner's heavy lidded eyes. He could see how worn out he was.

"I'm not tired."

Sam smiled. At that moment, his partner reminded him of Kamran when she was stubbornly fighting against going to bed. "Come on, get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."

Callen shook his head. "No. I'm not tired," he insisted again as his monitor readings began to rise, cluing Sam in that this was more than his partner being stubborn.

"Why don't you want to sleep?" Sam asked softly,

"I told you. I'll sleep when I need to."

Sam shook his head. "If your vitals keep rising like this, you're going to be setting off all kinds of alarms," he said. "I've got to say, these monitors are kind of like a lie detector, G…they tell me all kinds of things about you."

"I'm not a liar," Callen snapped.

"I'm sorry," Sam agreed. "That was a bad choice of words. I know you're not a liar. You're just omitting certain things. I can see how tired you are, buddy…I really wish you'd tell me why you don't want to sleep."

"Fine, I'll tell you," Callen answered, a hitch in his voice, knowing Sam wasn't going to let it drop and he was too drained to even attempt to fight him. "When…when I was in the mine, sometimes I would sleep and have dreams and I would think that everything was okay, but then I'd wake up and…and I'd be back trapped in the darkness. I…I don't want that to happen…I just…I don't think I could take it," he ended shakily.

"Oh, G…" Sam's eyes were sad as he reached for his partner and gently pulled him in against his chest. "I promise you…this is real. You feel me, right? You're not going to wake up back in that cave. I wish I could make you trust me." He gently rubbed Callen's back wanting to make his partner believe his words.

"I do trust you, Sam," Callen said softly. "I just…I don't trust that this is really happening…" He couldn't help but find the gentle rubbing on his back to be very soothing. At one point, he tried to pull out of Sam's arms with a half-hearted effort, thinking he was a pretty poor excuse for a team leader. However, Sam didn't let him go and gradually he found himself feeling safe and more and more powerless to fight against the fatigue that was overtaking him.

Finally, Sam felt his partner's body go limp and his breathing even out and he knew he was asleep. "You've still got that magic touch, Hanna," Sam murmured, lowering his sick and exhausted partner back against the pillows. It was a method he had used with both his children in the past when they were ill or just terribly overtired. It had always worked like a charm. Sam was glad to see that it still did.

He sat and watched over Callen for a few minutes, ensuring that he was sleeping easily before pulling out his cell phone. He wanted to call Hetty and let her know that G had regained consciousness, but he didn't want to take a chance on waking his partner and he refused to leave him alone after promising he'd be there when he awoke. Instead, he settled on sending her a text. He was pretty sure they'd be seeing her soon.

xxxxx

Kensi was curled up on the sofa, staring out the window when Deeks re-entered their hotel suite. "Hey baby," he said, walking over to her and bending down to press a light kiss on her lips. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I had a very lazy day." Kensi smiled as he sat down next to her and she shifted her position so that she was snuggled up next to him.

"Everyone needs a lazy day now and then," he said, returning her smile. "It's good for you, especially after all that's been happening."

"How's Callen?"

"He actually regained consciousness when I was there," Deeks said, putting his arm around Kensi and absently playing with her hair.

"Really? Oh that's wonderful news," Kensi said. "Sam must be really relieved."

"He is," Deeks said, nodding solemnly.

Kensi tilted her head to look up at him and noted the serious look on his face. "You don't look very happy. Is there something you're not telling me?" she asked apprehensively.

"What? No," Deeks quickly shook his head, then shrugged. "It's just…Callen was so emotional…he seemed really scared and… lost I guess is the best way to put it…"

"Well…that's probably only natural," Kensi said. "Look at all he's been through. I'm sure it's going to take time for him to recover."

"Yeah…yeah, I know. I just felt really bad for him. I didn't really even know what to say to him."

"I'm sure just you being there was good for him," Kensi said softly. "It showed him how much you care. That's what Callen needs right now. He just needs us to be there for him, to let him know that we love him and we'll help him through this."

"You're right," said Deeks nodding, but he still looked gloomy.

"Did you eat anything?" Kensi asked, wanting to brighten his mood. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah…yeah I actually could eat," Deeks said. The fullness from their big breakfast had finally worn off. "We could have an early dinner. You want to order room service again?"

Kensi shook her head, her eyes sparkling. "Let's go to the hotel restaurant. "

Deeks raised an eyebrow as he gazed at Kensi who was clad in a white, fluffy hotel robe. "Um…not that I have anything against that look. In fact, I think it's pretty cute, you kind of look like a bunny, but I don't know if it's appropriate for the hotel dining room."

"I'll change," Kensi said. "Unless you'd rather stay here? That's fine too, Deeks. Are you tired?"

"I am tired," Deeks admitted, then smiled, "but not too tired to take an elevator down to the restaurant."

"Okay, I'm going to go change," Kensi said as she reached for her crutches.

"I'll help you," Deeks said as he started to get up.

Kensi put her hand on his chest, stopping him. "You stay here," she said. "I'll call you if I need you."

"Okay," Deeks watched her leave then leaned his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes. He felt like he could sleep for a week.

xxxxx

Hetty quietly made her way into Callen's room in the ICU. She stood by Callen's bedside and just watched him, sleeping quietly, his breathing soft and easy. It did her heart good to see her boy asleep without being on the ventilator. He looked much more peaceful this way. After a few minutes, she stepped away from the bed and gave Sam a faint smile as she sat down in the chair by him "So, how is he doing, Sam?" she whispered, not wanting to wake Callen.

Sam glanced at his partner, ensuring he was still asleep before leaning down towards Hetty, clasping his hands in front of him. "He's a mess, Hetty," Sam said quietly. "He doesn't really even know what's reality and what's not. I'm trying to help him, but I don't even know how."

"If anyone can help him, it's you, Sam," Hetty said, as she reached for Sam's clasped hands and gently patted them. "Everyone has deep seated fears that can greatly affect them."

"Yeah, well this one I can relate to as you know," Sam admitted. It was nothing he liked to think about, but he realized he might have to revisit that experience in order to help Callen. Although their experiences were entirely different, there were enough similarities for him to have a good frame of reference to what Callen could be going through. "It's hard to even put into words how something like that can make you feel. It's nothing that I'll ever be able to forget."

"He's very lucky to have you in his corner," Hetty said softly.

"You know what he means to me, Hetty," Sam said. "I'd do anything to protect him and keep him safe."

They both turned their heads towards Callen's bed when he stirred and moaned softly, shifting about on the bed before he opened his eyes and focused his eyes first on Sam. "Guess you were right," he said, a trace of a smile on his lips. "Still here."

Sam grasped his friend's hand and squeezed it firmly before letting it go. "I hope you know you can always trust me, buddy."

Callen nodded then turned his gaze towards Hetty who had gotten up and walked over to him. "Good to see you, Hetty," he said, his eyes filled with emotion. "Wasn't sure I'd ever get that chance again."

"I'm very glad to have you back, Grisha," she said softly. "I can't begin to express how worried we were about you and how happy we are that you are on the road to recovery."

At that moment, a young nurse's aide came into the room carrying a tray with a covered plate on it. She gave the group a shy smile as she placed it on Callen's bedside table and then left without a word. "Guess this is your dinner, G," Sam said as he removed the domed cover from the plate to peer at the contents underneath. "Well…not really much of a dinner, but I guess you've got to start somewhere."

Callen looked at the tray and found the contents to be unappealing. There was broth, orange gelatin, tea and ginger ale, none of which interested him. "I'm not really hungry anyway," he said. He pretty much felt like crap. Food was the last thing on his mind.

Hetty and Sam exchanged a concerned look. "You've got to start eating, G," Sam said, shaking his head. "You're not going to regain your strength and get better if you don't. Then you'll never get out of this place."

Callen remained silent, not really up to debating the issue.

"If you are too weak to feed yourself, Mr. Callen," Hetty began as she picked up the spoon and held it towards the broth, "I would be more than happy to feed you."

"I can feed myself, Hetty," Callen said, glaring at her as he took the spoon out of her hand. He proceeded to dip it into the broth and then swallowed a spoonful of the liquid. "It doesn't even taste like anything," he grumbled, taking a second spoonful.

"You'll be back on regular food before you know it," Hetty said, satisfied that he was at least attempting to help himself. "Every journey begins with one small step." She glanced over at Sam who was attempting to hold back a smile and then she returned to her seat, feeling very satisfied as her boy continued to eat.

xxxxx

Granger sat at the hotel bar, slowly nursing a beer. He had decided to get a quiet drink before going to the hospital. Henrietta had let him know that Callen was awake and he wanted to see if he could provide any useful information, perhaps about where his assailants were headed. He tilted back his head, draining the last bit of beer from the mug and was about to stand up to leave when his cell phone rang. "Granger," he said as he pressed the answer button and held the phone to his ear. "Really?" he smiled into the phone. "I want him transferred here to a local police precinct. Notify me when he'll be here and where he'll be. Thank you." He smiled again and slipped the cell phone into the pocket of his jacked as he stood up. Agent Anderson had been arrested. They had finally caught a break.


	26. Chapter 26

Callen dutifully sipped the broth, ate the gelatin, drank half of the ginger ale and then dropped off to sleep without really saying much. "He still has a long way to go," Sam said softly, as he watched the steady rise and fall of Callen's chest.

"At least he's starting his uphill climb now," Hetty stated. "I know his progress seems slow, but when you really think about all he's gone through, it's quite remarkable that he's here at all, Mr. Hanna. And you are probably the biggest reason why he is doing as well as he is."

Sam shook his head as he wearily leaned back in the reclining chair. "Not really, Hetty. I admit I was able to help him medically somewhat after the plane crash, but I haven't been able to do much for him since."

"I beg to differ," Hetty said. "You just being there for him, talking to him, listening to him…those may be the most important things you can do for him."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a throat being cleared. Sam and Hetty both looked towards the doorway where Granger had poked his head in. "Am I interrupting?" he asked.

Sam's first instinct was to say yes he was interrupting, but instead he made a move to get up and offer his seat to Granger. Hetty quickly reached for his arm to stop him. "I'll leave, Sam. It's getting rather late anyway. Tell him I'll be back to see him tomorrow. I think perhaps I may actually be able to eat and sleep tonight," she said. She was quite exhausted, but now was finally allowing herself to believe that her boy was going to survive. Just seeing him able to eat a tiny bit had made a world of difference to Hetty and gave her great peace of mind.

She patted Sam's arm and then started to walk out of the room, pausing at the doorway to speak to the assistant director. "Go easy on them, Owen, both of them," she said quietly. "Or you'll have me to deal with." She then left the room and headed down the hallway towards the elevator.

"She's like a ferocious little dog with a bone," Granger said as he took over the chair Hetty had just abandoned.

"I wouldn't let Hetty hear you call her that if I were you," Sam said.

"How's your partner?" Granger asked, glancing over in Callen's direction before looking back at Sam.

Sam shrugged. "He's been through hell and he's still in the ICU. He needs time to recover."

"Well…he's been through tough fights before," Granger commented. "I have a good feeling he'll get through this one also."

Sam nodded.

"You know, Hanna…I could sit with him tonight, if you'd like," Granger offered. "Might be good for you to go back to the hotel and get a good night's sleep."

Sam had to admit it was tempting, but all it took was one look at his partner and he just couldn't do it, not yet. "Thanks," he said, "but I'd rather not leave him."

Granger couldn't help but be a little bit exasperated. "He'll be fine. We won't let anything go wrong this time."

"It's not that...," Sam said. "I just want to be here, if he needs me…" He somehow didn't think that Granger would be very comforting if Callen experienced a nightmare and woke up in a panic. It's not like Callen and Granger were best buddies. Nor did he think Granger's gruff manner would make Callen feel better.

Granger shook his head. "Fine. It's your call. Let me know if you change your mind."

"Thank you," Sam said quietly. He knew he wouldn't change his mind, but it had still been nice of Granger to offer. He was tired and looked forward to Callen being released from the ICU. He was pretty sure Hetty would arrange it so that when that happened, Sam would have a bed to sleep in.

They were silent for a few moments before Granger spoke again. "So…Anderson has been arrested…"

Sam's tiredness immediately vanished and he went into high alert mode. "Really? Is he here in Seattle? Have you talked to him?" His voice had gone up and Callen began to stir. Sam froze as he watched Callen settle back into sleep. He then looked back at Granger.

"He's being flown into Seattle tomorrow," Granger said quietly. "He's being brought to a local precinct. I thought you might like to be there when I interrogate him."

Sam was even more tempted by this offer. "I guess I'll have to let you know tomorrow…" If it happened to be around the time Kensi and Deeks came to visit his partner, and if Callen was doing well, he would consider it. It wasn't a decision he could make right then, however.

"Come on, Sam," Granger said. "I know you want to be there. Babying your partner won't help him."

Sam quickly looked in Callen's direction and saw that thankfully he still appeared to be peacefully asleep. "Don't talk about him like that," he whispered fiercely. "He's gone through a stabbing, a plane crash, almost dying, then being abducted and left alone in that mine to die. Until you've been through the kind of hell he's been through, don't presume to think you know anything about it and don't you dare tell me how to treat him. "

Granger stared back at Sam and slowly nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry." He himself had been through plenty of his own hellish situations in the past, but he had to admit that Sam was right. He had no right to presume he knew what Callen was going through. He had just never had anyone have his back the way Sam had Callen's.

At that point, Callen stirred again, grimacing and placing his hand over the right side of his abdomen as he evidently moved the wrong way. His eyes opened and he groggily looked at Sam. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked him.

"Not too long," Sam replied. "Maybe about an hour give or take."

"Time sure drags in this place," Callen said with a sigh. His eyes turned toward the other chair, expecting to see Hetty, but he was surprised to see the assistant director in her place. "Oh…I thought you were Hetty."

Granger raised his eyebrows. "I've got to say, that's the first time anyone has ever mistaken me for Henrietta."

"Probably the last time too," Sam said with a slight chuckle before addressing his partner. "She went back to the hotel, G. She said to tell you she'd see you tomorrow."

Callen nodded before once again reaching for his side. "Your ribs bothering you?" Sam asked, looking at his friend with concern.

"Nothing I can't handle," Callen answered vaguely.

Sam shook his head. "You shouldn't have to handle it. You've got enough to deal with. They ought to be keeping you ahead of the pain."

"I can't spend my whole life being drugged out of my mind either," Callen said.

Sam gave his partner an amused look. "Really? That's what you're worrying about? You've only been conscious for a few hours. I don't think you need to be worrying about that just yet."

Callen shrugged. "It's fine, Sam."

"No…it's really not."

Callen closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable then found himself starting to shiver. Sam noticed his partner seemed off and his eyes went to the monitor which showed his temperature had risen to 101.2. "G?"

At that moment, Dr. Hathaway walked into the cubicle followed by a nurse. "Could you two gentlemen leave us alone for a few minutes?" he asked.

"We'll be right back," Sam said, giving his partner a reassuring smile although his eyes were concerned.

Callen nodded, watching as they left the cubicle and then turned his eyes toward the doctor.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Callen?" Dr. Hathaway asked as his gaze scanned over the various monitor readings and he made some notations on his chart. "Not so good, I take it?"

"Not great," Callen admitted.

"Well I've gotten some results back on your wound cultures which were taken before you were abducted from the hospital. The antibiotic I have you on covers some, but not all of the organisms so I'm going to change it. You're running a bit of a fever, but that's not uncommon later in the day. Now for some good news, there's no longer any evidence of blood in your urine and your kidney function tests have been normal so I think we dodged a bullet there. "

Callen just nodded silently.

"Are you following all of this?" Dr. Hathaway asked.

"Yes…that is good news."

"Okay…on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, what would you currently grade your pain?" the doctor asked.

Callen sighed. "I don't know, maybe an 8."

"I'm going to up your pain medicine. I don't want you having to fight just to be comfortable." He scribbled some more on the chart. Now do you have any questions? Anything you need?"

"How long do you think I'll be in here?" Callen asked.

Dr. Hathaway smiled. "I'm assuming you must be asking about the ICU and not about the hospital. We'll see where you are tomorrow." He could see that his patient looked discouraged. "You've been through a lot, Mr. Callen. It's going to take some time to recover, even after you're out of the hospital. I know that's not what you want to hear, but with all you went through, you're actually doing very well."

"Okay," Callen said softly.

"How did you do with the clear liquids earlier? Have you experienced any nausea?"

"No," Callen said, shaking his head.

"Okay, I'm going to start you back on regular food tomorrow and we'll see how that goes. I'll have a menu sent in so you can make your choices for the day. That should help you start to get your strength back. Pick whatever you feel you're able to tolerate. I'm not giving you any restrictions. If you'd like to have people bring you in food from outside that's fine too. My main objective is to get you back eating again."

"What about the catheter?" Callen asked.

"I'm going to leave that in at least until tomorrow," the doctor said as Callen just nodded. "Anything else?"

"Could I have another blanket?"

"That's an easy one," Dr. Hathaway said with a smile. "Is that it?"

"Yes, I'm good," Callen said, nodding.

"Okay, hang in there, Mr. Callen. I believe things are going to look brighter to you tomorrow. Get some rest."

"Thanks," Callen said, allowing his eyes to close as the doctor and nurse left the room. He opened them again when he heard Sam and Granger return and then the nurse came back in, carrying a blanket which she gently covered him with.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" the nurse asked, smiling at him.

Callen shook his head. "No. Thanks for the blanket."

"You're welcome," she said, then left the room.

"You doing okay, G?" Sam placed his hand on his partner's shoulder, looking down at him worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm alright, Sam. The doctor's going to change my antibiotic. He said there's no more blood in my urine and I can start back on regular food tomorrow."

"Yeah? That's really good to hear," Sam smiled, relieved as he patted Callen's shoulder before he removed his hand and then sat back down on the reclining chair.

"You up for a few questions, Agent Callen?" Granger asked, his tone all business.

As much as he just wanted to go back to sleep, Callen nodded, knowing he had to do it sooner or later. He just didn't think he was going to be able to give Granger any useful information. "Yeah sure," he said quietly. He willed himself to relax and just take a deep breath before beginning. His goal was to keep to the facts and let his emotions in as little as possible.

Sam felt himself tensing with anticipation of the interaction. He knew how Granger could be sometimes and he was ready to stop things from getting out of hand if necessary.

"Why don't you start with the first thing you remember after you were taken from the hospital."

"I didn't wake up until I was already inside the mine. I guess they drugged me up pretty good," Callen began. "I was alone. There was total darkness and my hands and feet were tied…then they came…Page, his brother, Robert and his niece, Alyssa…"

"Go on," Granger encouraged gently.

"Page was acting pretty crazy. He told me the story of his other brother and his wife, how I had shot him. He blamed me for his brother's life being ruined and ultimately for his death. He used me for a punching bag and kicked me around to embellish his story. At one point, he walked away and I got a chance to talk to Alyssa, gave her Sam's number, tried to convince her to call him. I didn't really think it worked."

"But it did work," Sam grasped his partner's hand and squeezed it gently. "You did good, G."

Callen returned Sam's smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "He…he enjoyed taunting me…said how I would suffer alone in the dark…even took a picture of me to send to Sam…" He turned toward his partner and they shared a long look. "Then basically he blew up the entrance and here we are." He heaved a long sigh, happy to have gotten through the story without getting emotional.

"He never gave you any clue as to where they might be going?" Granger asked.

Callen shook his head. "No…no I'm sorry, he never said anything about that."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Granger said. "Not your fault he didn't say anything." It was obvious to him that Callen was exhausted so he decided it was best not to question him further. "Sam, I'm going to be leaving soon. Before I go, why don't you go get yourself something to eat?"

Sam shook his head. "That's okay."

"It really wasn't a request, Agent Hanna," Granger said. "You need to eat."

"He's right, Sam," Callen chimed in. "You must be hungry."

Sam looked at his partner and nodded. "Alright. I'll go get something. Be back in a few."

"Do you have any idea how much he cares about you?" Granger asked Callen after Sam had left the room.

Callen nodded slowly. "Yes…I think I do. I feel the same way about him."

"The two of you have quite a partnership," Granger said, looking a little bit wistful. "Never take that for granted…"

"I won't…"

"Get some sleep, Agent Callen," Granger said, noting how Callen could barely keep his eyes open. "Your partner will be back soon…" He watched as Callen finally succumbed to the sleep his body had been craving, then settled back in his chair to wait for Sam's return.

xxxxx

Another night spent in a cabin at a campsite. Alyssa was getting tired of it, tired of driving all day, just tired of all of it. She almost felt like turning herself over to the police just to be done with it. Almost…she wasn't quite there yet.

"Alyssa? My phone is dead and the charger is out in the car. Can I borrow yours for a minute?"

She froze. She had kept meaning to tell her uncle that she had lost her phone, but every time she had tried, the words had died on her lips. "I… well Uncle Jonathan… I actually lost it…"

"What?" He looked at Alyssa angrily. "When did you lose it? Why didn't you say anything about it?"

Alyssa shrugged. "I guess I didn't want to bother you with it. I figured you had enough to worry about."

"Where did you lose it?" he asked. He found his suspicions were rising, but he was trying hard not to give in to those thoughts. This was his beloved niece. She would never betray him.

"Uh…I'm not sure really."

"Well, when's the last time you used it?"

"Uh…I don't really know…" She stared down at the floor, not wanting to meet his eyes. It confirmed to him that something was up, although he had no idea what it could be.

He turned to his brother who was listening to the conversation silently as usual. "So…I'm thinking I want to start heading back to the mine tomorrow…"

Robert gave him an alarmed look. "Why would you do that?" he asked. "Shouldn't we stay away from there?"

"I just want to check things out…make sure Agent Callen is truly dead and then I will use my contacts to get us out of the country.

"Uncle Jonathan, why do we need to do that?" Alyssa asked, trying hard to hide her panic. "I don't want to see a dead body. I don't want to go back there."

"Dear, sweet Alyssa," Jonathan said stroking her face. "Why would you see his dead body? If the mine is still all sealed up, it's obvious that Agent Callen is dead, isn't it? I'm just making sure my plan was brought to fruition. Once I see that our friend is firmly encased in his tomb, we'll be off and we'll leave the country, most likely for good."

Alyssa felt her stomach begin to churn as she wondered about the consequences of her phone call to Agent Hanna. It was almost a certainty that he had gone in search of his partner and if that was the case, the mine was no longer sealed. It would be opened up and Agent Callen would be nowhere to be found. She didn't want to think about what her uncle's reaction would be if that was true.


	27. Chapter 27

Once again he was tied up in the darkness. This time it was different though. He could see two pinpoints of light, bright, yellow circles, slowly approaching, gradually getting larger. First the size of dimes and then quarters and then he could see that the circles were not circles at all, but eyes…eyes of the largest spider he had ever seen. Somehow, he wasn't sure how, the spider had a glow to it so that he could witness its approach. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. He had certainly never seen a spider so large. It was over a foot long and covered with hair. He frantically tried to untie himself or to somehow get away but he couldn't budge and he could feel his breathing getting out of control as the spider slowly started crawling up his leg.

xxxxx

Callen's scream of terror awoke Sam who immediately rushed to his partner's side. "G! G, it's alright. It's okay. It was only a dream, buddy. You're safe. "

Callen's breathing was harsh and fast and his whole body was shaking. He could feel Sam holding him and he tried to get himself back in control, but part of him felt like he was still trapped in that mine with the creepy spider from hell.

"Man… you're shaking like a leaf, G. I've got you. Everything's alright now."

Finally, Callen managed to get himself together enough to pull back out of his partner's arms. "Thanks, Sam. I'm okay."

"You want to talk about it?" Sam asked, eyeing Callen closely. He still appeared shaken.

"No," Callen said, quickly shaking his head.

"You sure?"

Callen nodded. "Yeah…yeah, I'm sure. I…I'm going to try to go back to sleep."

Eventually, Callen did manage to fall back asleep, but the result was the same. He again woke up screaming, not once, but twice. At that point he gave up on trying to sleep and Sam, worried about his partner, didn't get any more sleep either. By the time the early morning nurse came by to check his vitals, Callen was exhausted and ill-tempered. Sam was just plain exhausted.

"So…how you doing this morning, G?" Sam asked about 15 minutes after the nurse left the room. He was unable to stand any more of the tense silence between them.

"Fine, you?" Callen's response was automatic, almost robotic, and he didn't even glance in Sam's direction.

"I'm good…maybe a little tired."

"You probably should stay at the hotel tonight. You'll be able to sleep better there," Callen said, being very careful to keep his emotions in check. "There are plenty of body guards here. I'll be perfectly safe."

"That what you want, G?" Sam asked.

Callen just shrugged.

Sam sat there for a few more minutes, inwardly debating the best strategy for dealing with his obviously troubled partner and then decided to try giving him a bit of space. "Okay, G…I'm going to go to the hotel to shower and change and grab some breakfast. You can eat now so anything particular you want me to bring back for you? Donuts maybe?"

Callen stared at Sam, with an unreadable expression in his eyes, before he silently shook his head.

"You okay, G?" Sam asked. "You sure you don't feel like talking?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Callen said quietly.

Sam gave Callen an uncertain look, rethinking his decision to leave. Although Callen was refusing to talk about his nightmares, it was clear from the emotion expressed in his eyes that he was distraught.

"I can stay here…I don't have to leave right now…"

Callen shook his head, staring down at his lap. "Just go, Sam…"

xxxxx

The minute Sam left the room, Callen leaned his head back against his pillows and was no longer able to hold back the tears that started streaming down his face. "God, what the hell is wrong with me?" he whispered. It was just a stupid dark cave and he wasn't even in there anymore. Why couldn't he just let it go and move on? He silently let the tears fall, unchecked, for several minutes before they finally stopped and he just laid there feeling both mentally and physically exhausted. At last, the sleep that he had evaded for most of the night, broke through his defenses and claimed him.

xxxxx

Sam took a big bite of the raspberry danish and swallowed it down followed by a gulp of coffee. He had gone back to his hotel suite and quickly showered and changed. Now, he was seated in the hotel lobby, basically just people watching. He had no idea why he was even eating the danish. It was pure sugar, but it tasted good and the combination of sugar and caffeine would keep him going for a while. Eventually, he knew he'd crash, but hopefully, at that point, he'd be able to get some real sleep.

"Sam?"

He looked up and saw Deeks approaching. "Hey, man," Sam said. "You're up early."

"Yeah, I was going to get some breakfast somewhere for me and Kensi. We figured if we kept ordering room service we'd really be taking advantage of the situation," Deeks said as he sat down in a chair by Sam.

"I hear what you're saying," Sam said, taking another bite of tasty pastry, "although I'm pretty sure Hetty doesn't mind, in light of everything the two of you have gone through."

"What about what you and Callen have gone through?" Deeks replied. "I don't see you staying at the hotel, ordering room service."

"Actually, that sounds pretty good to me right now," Sam admitted.

Deeks finally began to notice that the older agent looked tired and not particularly happy. "Hey…I'm actually surprised to see you here," he said. "Is Callen okay?"

"Physically, I guess he's holding his own," said Sam. "But emotionally?" He shook his head. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

"He's not doing so hot?" Deeks asked. "That's not really surprising though, Sam, is it? After all that's happened?"

Sam shook his head. "No…no it's not surprising. I just wish he'd talk to me about it. It might help him."

"Callen not talking?" Deeks asked. "Come on, Sam…that's not surprising either."

"I hate when he's hurting," Sam stated, "and I hate that I left him there alone, but I thought he needed it."

"Maybe he did," Deeks said. "Everyone needs a little bit of space now and then, even away from the ones you love most."

"Yeah," said Sam, nodding. "Plus I've been thinking about something Granger said yesterday…"

"That can't be good," Deeks said, smirking slightly. "What'd he say?"

"He said that babying Callen isn't going to help him…"

"Oh man," Deeks shook his head. "Don't listen to him, Sam. You know what kind of a lousy upbringing Callen had. He was probably never comforted as a kid. And he was on his own for such a long time. You're probably the best thing that ever happened to the guy. I'd just keep doing what you're doing. You know him better than anyone."

"There's something else too," Sam continued. "Granger said the police picked up Anderson. He's getting flown here today. He wanted me to go with him to interrogate him."

"You're going, aren't you?"

"Yesterday, I told Granger I wasn't sure, that I'd let him know. That's what got him kind of pissed, that I didn't want to leave G. I'm going to get back to the hospital and check on him. Then I'll figure it out."

"Kensi and I are going to go visit him today. If you want, you can let us know what time you'd be going to interrogate Anderson and we can time things accordingly. We'll keep him company while you're gone."

"Yeah?" Sam gave Deeks a grateful look. "Thank you, Deeks. I have to admit, I'd feel better if you did that." He took a napkin and wiped away the stickiness around his mouth. "Damn…that danish was good. I'm going to go get another one for G before I head back to the hospital. You might want to get your breakfast at this place. Coffee's good as well."

"They letting Callen eat?" Deeks asked and Sam nodded.

"Okay, I'll walk over there with you," Deeks said, as the two men got to their feet and headed to the coffee shop.

xxxxx

The first thing Sam noted when he returned to the ICU was the absence of a guard outside the unit. Immediately his heart started pounding. When he entered the unit and a nurse was there to greet him, he licked his lips and waited with a feeling of dread for her to deliver the bad news. Then she smiled. "Good morning, Mr. Hanna. Your friend was transferred to a regular room. He's on the medical floor, room 419 in the blue wing."

"Thank you," Sam stated as he turned and quickly left the unit. All he could think of was G's previous transfer gone bad. He couldn't believe he had left him. This was his punishment for having been so stupid. When he got off the elevator on the fourth floor, he was immediately greeted by Agent Bill Campbell.

"Hey Sam, how's it going?" the agent asked him.

"Hi, Bill," Sam replied. "I'm good. Everything okay over here?"

Bill nodded. "Everything's quiet. Not much to this assignment. Not that I'm complaining."

"Well, that's good to hear," Sam replied. "I'll see you later." He headed down the hall and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Agents Janice Bates and Paul Fredericks stationed outside room 419. "Hi guys. Everything good?"

Janice nodded with a friendly hello and a smile as Paul replied. "No problems at all so far, Sam."

"Thanks, guys." Sam knocked on Callen's door and opened it when he heard the faint voice from inside telling him to come in. He walked into the room and found his partner sitting up in bed, his back against a couple of pillows with the television on. "Hey, G."

"Hi Sam," Callen said, giving Sam a half smile.

"You gave me a bit of a scare when I went to the ICU and you weren't there," Sam said.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Callen replied. "Dr. Hathaway did his rounds early and sprung me from there. Got rid of the catheter too. I've even got a window," he nodded at the window where the blinds had been pulled up in order to allow the sunlight to stream in.

"Glad to see you're doing better," Sam smiled as he took a seat on the identical reclining chair to the one he'd been practically living on in the ICU. He looked around the room, noting how bare it looked. Even though Callen was a minimalist, he didn't think it would hurt to have a few things there to brighten up the room and possibly his partner's spirits as well. He tossed the brown paper bag with the danish in it onto Callen's bed. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but these things are damn good."

Callen opened the bag and removed the pastry, then immediately took a bite. "Mmm…thanks," he said after he had swallowed. "It is damn good, but how would you know?"

Sam grinned. "I ate one."

Callen smirked, his blue eyes widening. "Really, Sam? You ate one of these sugar and calorie laden pastries?"

"Every crumb, G," Sam said. "And you know I don't lie."

"Wow…I'm impressed."

Callen continued to munch on the danish and Sam watched him out of the corner of his eye. His partner seemed to be doing much better than earlier and Sam was grateful for that. He waited for Callen to finish up and then looked at him, his eyes serious. "So…I need to tell you something," he began.

"What?" Callen asked, looking back at Sam, a little bit apprehensively.

"Jeff Anderson has been arrested. He's being transferred to a local precinct here in Seattle sometime today."

"Well, that's good, right?" Callen said, unable to help but feel a little bit disappointed. He couldn't help but wish it was Page that had been apprehended. "Are you going to talk to him?"

"I was thinking about it," Sam replied with a nod. "Granger asked if I wanted to accompany him."

"You definitely should go, Sam," Callen said. "Just you being there is bound to scare the guy."

"You mean because I'm so intimidating?" Sam asked with a chuckle.

"Well, Anderson's not exactly a big guy," Callen said. He hadn't really seen much of Anderson but he recalled he had been fairly slight in stature. "So, yeah, I think you'll intimidate him without even trying."

"Oh I'll be trying," Sam said, a glint of anger in his eyes.

Callen nodded solemnly. "I know you will be," he stated. "Just make sure you don't get yourself into trouble."

"Don't worry about me, G," Sam replied. "I'll be a perfect little angel."


	28. Chapter 28

"Just take it slowly, Mr. Callen," Ethan, the sandy-haired physical therapist said, his hand on the small of Callen's back, supporting him as he slowly walked down the hall. A nurse's aide was trailing behind the men, pushing a wheelchair. "You're doing great."

Callen didn't feel like he was doing great. His legs were starting to feel shaky and his breathing was becoming heavier. He was determined to walk as far as he could though, in an effort to get out of the hospital as soon as possible.

"That's far enough, Mr. Callen," Ethan stated.

"Just a little bit further," Callen said breathlessly, but he was hit by a wave of dizziness and Ethan quickly maneuvered him into the wheelchair before he fell.

"You've definitely done enough for today," Ethan said as he began to push Callen back towards his room. "I know you don't think so, but you're doing very well. Sepsis takes its toll on one's body. It's going to take some time to get over it."

Frustrated by his limitations, Callen remained silent and a couple of minutes later he was back in his room. Sam's eyes were on his partner as he came back into the room and it was easy to see that he was down in the dumps once again.

"I just want to stay in the chair," Callen said to Ethan who had been about to help him back into his bed.

Ethan nodded. "Okay, but don't try anything crazy and be sure to ask for help if you need to use the bathroom. The last thing you need right now is a fall."

Callen nodded glumly.

"Hey, G, you okay?" Sam asked after Ethan and the aide had left the room.

"I'm fine," Callen said, schooling his features so that he was expressionless. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know…you tell me."

"There's nothing to tell, Sam," Callen replied, glancing at his partner, but then quickly looking away.

"It's just…you looked a lot happier when you left the room than when you came back," Sam stated.

"Maybe that's because I left the room on my own two feet and you see how I came back in," Callen responded, slamming his hands on the armrests of the wheelchair.

Sam shook his head, unsure of how to deal with his short-tempered and irritable partner. His mood was going up and down like a yo-yo. It seemed like the smallest things were able to set him off. "Come on, G...you need to be patient. You're not giving yourself any time at all to recover."

"I'm just…I'm just tired of all of this…," Callen heaved a sigh and then turned towards his partner, clearly miserable. "I want to go home."

"I know you do," said Sam, his eyes sympathetic. "Hopefully, you'll be able to really soon."

"Not soon enough," Callen murmured.

Sam looked at Callen, unsure if he dared to broach the next topic of conversation, but he finally decided to take the risk. "You think maybe you should talk to someone about all that you're feeling?" he asked quietly. "You've gone through a lot…"

Callen glared at his partner. "No. I'm fine, Sam."

"No, you're not," Sam gently contradicted him.

"Can you please drop this?" Callen pleaded. "I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"When will you want to talk about it?" Sam asked.

"Maybe never," Callen mumbled.

"The feelings won't just go away," Sam said. "They didn't for me…"

"It…it's not the same thing," Callen said, his eyes beginning to fill in spite of his efforts to keep his emotions at bay. "You…you watched a friend die. It was much worse for you. I…I was alone…It just isn't the same…No big deal. I'll get over it."

"Come on, G…You can't rate whose experience was worse. You feel the way you feel…"

"I said I was fine."

Sam was about to say again that Callen wasn't fine, but realized they were just going around in circles. He really wasn't accomplishing anything except further aggravating his partner so he decided to drop it for the time being. "Granger called when you were taking your walk," he said, changing the subject. "Anderson is going to be here in about an hour so I'll be heading out in a bit."

Callen nodded. "Okay…that's good. Maybe you'll find out something."

"Deeks and Kensi will be here to see you soon."

"Why? Because you think I need a babysitter?" Callen snapped.

"No, because they're worried about you and they want to see you," Sam said, keeping his tone calm and even. He handed his cell phone to his partner. "If you don't want them here, feel free to call them and tell them not to come."

"I…" Callen slowly turned the cell phone around in his hands and then handed it back to Sam. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Of course I want them to come. I…I don't know why I'm acting this way…" He knew he was acting irrationally and not at all like himself. He just couldn't seem to help it.

Sam gently patted Callen's shoulder. "It's doesn't help that you didn't sleep much last night. Why don't you try to get in a nap before they get here?"

Callen nodded in agreement. "Yeah, okay." He allowed Sam to help him into bed and it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. Sam watched over him for a short time and then headed off to meet up with Granger and Anderson.

xxxxx

Alyssa was trying very hard to keep her panic contained as her uncle drove closer and closer to the Whitebark Mine. She had so many regrets about what had happened, the biggest being that she had allowed herself to get involved in the first place. She wished she had never listened to Uncle Jonathan and she was dreading what would happen if the mine's entrance was open when they got there. Oh who was she kidding? Of course, the entrance would be open. She couldn't imagine that Agent Hanna wouldn't have pursued the lead she had given him. She had no doubt that he had gone to the mine and the entrance would be open.

Finally, they arrived back at the mine. Alyssa stared out the car window, a knot which felt like a watermelon in her stomach, as she viewed the clearly open entrance to the mine. "Get out of the car, Alyssa," Jonathan said, his voice syrupy sweet as he spoke.

Alyssa opened her mouth, wanting to deny his request, but she was too frightened to speak. Her whole body trembling, she decided to do as he requested, not wanting to make him any angrier than he already was.

"Look at the mine, Alyssa," Jonathan said when the three family members had exited the car. "Agent Callen must have been very strong to have dug his way through all those rocks, don't you think? He must have chisels for fingers."

She couldn't look at him, couldn't speak, couldn't do a thing except stare at the mine. She didn't think she had ever been so scared.

"I asked you a question," Jonathan said, his tone becoming menacing. "How do you think Agent Callen escaped his tomb?"

"I…I really couldn't say," she replied tremulously after a long silence.

"Oh I think you could say, Alyssa. I think you know EXACTLY how Agent Callen escaped!" Unexpectedly, Jonathan hit her violently in the face, causing her to stumble then fall to the ground, her eyes immediately filling with tears. He had never hit her before. No one had ever hit her before.

"I…I'm sorry," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm sorry."

"You have betrayed both me and your father…the ultimate betrayal," Jonathan shook his head as he spoke, his eyes furious. "How do you think I should punish you for this? Maybe I should drag you in there and tie you up, leaving you to take Agent Callen's place in the tomb?"

Alyssa shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she looked at him in terror. "No…please….I…I'm sorry….I'm so sorry, Uncle Jonathan. I…I'll make it up to you. I will, please don't do that. Please…"

"You better hope I get him back here," Jonathan threatened. "Because if I don't…" He would lure Agent Callen back to the mine and this time there would be no fuck ups. He'd kill him slowly and painfully and then leave his body in there to rot. This time he'd make sure no one would come to his rescue and he'd avenge his brother's death once and for all.

xxxxx

"I hope Callen's doing better," Deeks said. He was carefully carrying two plastic bags of burgers, fries and shakes from Red Robin. He wished he had rethought the shakes. He hadn't been able to carry a tray with one arm in a sling and Kensi had refused the wheelchair in favor of crutches, so she was unable to help him. He hoped one bag wouldn't be filled with chocolate and vanilla goo when they reached their team leader's room.

"I think we'll cheer him up," Kensi said, smiling. She had stopped in the hospital gift shop and gotten a get well bundle of balloons for Callen, the strings of which were tied around her left wrist.

Deeks hoped she was right. He knew that Callen hadn't had a good night.

"Here we are," Kensi said, stopping outside of room 419. She softly knocked on the door but when there was no answer she opened it. They entered the room and found Callen murmuring fretfully as he thrashed about under the covers.

"Damn," Deek said softly as he put the two bags down on the rolling tray table and approached Callen's bedside. "Hey, Callen? Come on man, wake up." Callen remained caught up in the nightmare, not responding to Deeks' voice. Deeks tried again speaking louder and placing his hand on Callen's shoulder. "Come on, Callen. It's just a dream. Wake up."

Callen finally reacted to Deeks and slowly opened his eyes, looking confused for a few moments before he started to orient himself to his surroundings. "Hey," he said as he slowly got himself up into a seated position.

"Are you okay?" Deeks asked, looking at the other man with concern.

Callen nodded. "Yeah…yeah I'm good." He looked around the room, in search of his partner. "Where's Sam?"

Deeks and Kensi exchanged a quick look before Deeks answered him. "He went to meet Granger and Anderson, remember?"

Callen nodded again, looking a little bit lost. "Oh yeah…guess I forgot…"

Kensi nibbled on her lip, her eyes on Callen. This wasn't going at all how she had envisioned it. "It's really good to see you," she said as she leaned her crutches against the guard rails of Callen's bed and leaned down to give him a gentle hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Kens…" he replied, allowing himself to relax in her embrace and return the gesture. He then released his grasp and looked up at her. "How are you? Are you doing okay?"

She smiled as she settled herself into the chair closest to him. "I'm good. Getting better every day."

He nodded. "That's good to hear…" He then turned his attention to Deeks. "How's your shoulder?"

"Fine," Deeks answered. "I'll probably be getting rid of this sling soon."

"Great…" Callen managed to smile as his eyes traveled upward to the balloons which were up against the ceiling. "I take it those are for me?" he asked.

"Of course," Kensi said, smiling back at him as she untied them from her wrist. "I think they brighten up your room, nicely, don't you?"

He nodded. "They do. Thanks, guys."

"We also brought lunch," Deeks stated as he opened up the bag that contained the shakes and looked warily inside, then smiled as he saw that the shakes remained inside their containers. "Unless you'd prefer whatever fine cuisine the hospital will be delivering?"

"You're a funny guy, Deeks," Callen said as he accepted the burger and fries which his teammate handed to him.

"What kind of shake do you want?" Deeks asked. "We've got both chocolate and vanilla here."

Callen shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me. You guys pick first."

Kensi was pretty sure Callen preferred chocolate, which she handed to him and then handed a vanilla shake to Deeks, taking the other chocolate one for herself. The three then settled down to have their lunch.

xxxxx

"Just so you know, this is an informal questioning. This conversation is not being recorded and nothing you say here will be used against you. It's basically a fact finding mission. I'd like to know what you can tell me about Jonathan Page," said Granger.

"I want a lawyer," Anderson snarled.

"Of course that's your prerogative, but for now, I would suggest cooperating might help your case. It certainly won't hurt it."

"I didn't even do anything," Anderson stated.

"Well, the hospital video surveillance footage very clearly shows you holding down Agent Callen in the elevator before you and the other assailants abducted him from the hospital, so I'd say you most definitely did do something."

At that moment, the door to the interrogation room opened and Sam entered. He didn't say a word but just walked over to the wall and leaned back against it, his arms crossed over his chest. Anderson looked nervously over at him. "What's he doing here?" he asked. "You didn't mention him being here."

"He's Agent Callen's partner," Granger explained matter-of-factly. "Why wouldn't he be here?"

"I don't want him here," Anderson insisted.

Sam smiled, not moving from his position against the wall. "Why not, Jeffrey?" he asked. "I'm a friendly guy."

Anderson just silently stared back at him as Sam finally took two steps toward the table. "I'm just curious," Sam said, picking up an empty chair and then loudly banging it onto the floor causing Anderson to flinch. "What did G ever do to you? What exactly do you have against him?" He put the chair down directly across from Anderson and sat down.

"I don't…I don't have anything against him," Anderson said.

"Really?" Sam asked. "Hmm…so you took him, why? Was it your idea of fun? Why exactly would you be an accomplice in the assault, kidnapping and attempted murder of a federal agent?"

"I didn't…I never hurt him."

Sam nodded. "But you held him down while he was drugged and assisted in taking him out of the hospital…did you think Page was throwing him a surprise party?" He slammed his hands down on the table. "Obviously he was intent on doing Callen harm!"

"I didn't know…"

"You didn't know?" Sam asked. "Help me out here. Give me some reason to believe you didn't mean for my partner to get killed!"

"I didn't…I just…I needed the money…"

"Ooooh…" Sam smiled and nodded, his demeanor friendly again. "You should have said that to begin with, Jeffrey. Now I understand. So, how much did he give you?"

Anderson shrugged and stared down at the table.

"How much?!" Sam asked, raising his voice.

"Fifty grand," Anderson said.

"Fifty grand?" Sam started to chuckle. "You're a federal agent, Jeffrey. Did you even look into this guy at all? Do you have any idea how much he's worth? Man…you short-changed yourself big time. You could have gotten yourself a hell of a lot more than fifty grand. I hope it was worth it. You must have been pretty desperate to sell out a fellow agent for fifty grand."

Anderson shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Can I have some water?" he asked, nervously licking his lips.

"Are you kidding me?" Sam asked, giving Anderson an incredulous look. "I'm guessing G would have liked some water when he was sealed up in that cave waiting to die, or a blanket or some light…Did you give him any of those things?"

"I didn't know Page was going to do that to him," Anderson protested.

Sam smiled and nodded. "Oh, I see…well then it's all okay, right? I don't recall receiving any phone calls from you afterwards though, letting me know where my partner was. Unless…maybe I missed them?" He stuck his hand into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Hmm…no missed calls. I guess you didn't try to call me after all. Did you call Hetty maybe or Granger?" He looked at the assistant director. "Did Jeffrey here try to call you?"

"Alright!" Anderson shouted. "I didn't call anyone. It's not like this fucking plan was my idea though and Callen's okay now, isn't he? Geeze…you act like you're his mother, not his partner."

"You smug, son of a bitch," Sam got up from his chair, went over to Anderson and grabbed him by his shirt collar, pulling him to his feet. "What the hell is wrong with you? You were an accomplice in a major crime against a federal agent and you think it's no big deal? Really? I ought to tear your head off." He shoved Anderson against the wall, getting some satisfaction from the fear he saw in the other man's eyes.

Granger got up from his chair and went over to Sam, gently pulling him away from Anderson. "Let's give him a little room to breathe, Agent Hanna, okay?" Sam nodded and went back to his chair as Granger turned to Anderson. "Don't mind him, he's just a little upset about his partner. Surely you can understand that? Why don't you have a seat?"

"I don't have to put up with this crap," Anderson muttered as he sat back down in the chair. "I have rights."

"Why don't you tell us what you know about Page," Granger suggested. "How did he first get in touch with you?"

"He showed up at the hospital during my first shift of guard duty," Anderson answered. "Offered me ten grand on the spot. I couldn't turn down that kind of dough."

Sam's eyes narrowed angrily but he managed to keep himself composed when he saw the look Granger sent in his direction.

"Ten grand for what?" Granger asked.

"I was supposed to keep him informed of any new developments with Callen's situation and help out in any way necessary. I'd get the rest of the money after Page had snatched Callen."

"So you told him about Callen leaving the ICU," Sam asked. "How'd you even hear that anyway?"

"I had a listening device in his room," Anderson replied.

"So what is Page's cell phone number?" Granger asked.

Anderson shook his head. "It won't do you any good to call that number. He's using burn phones now. There's no way for me to contact him."

"Has he contacted you?" Sam asked in frustration. This was getting them nowhere.

Anderson shook his head. "Nope, he'll contact me if he needs to, but I'm not really expecting him to call. I think this was more of a one-time gig."

"I want the number anyway," Granger said, handing Anderson a pen and a piece of paper. Anderson quickly scribbled down the phone number and passed the paper back to Granger. "Did he ever talk about where he was going when this was all over? Anything at all you can think of to give us a clue of where he might have gone?"

"No, man…he just told us what to do. He was an arrogant prick. He gave orders and we followed them. That's as far as it went."

"How about the others he hired? Any information on them?"

"No. We didn't talk to each other about our personal lives. I don't know anything about them. Are we done?" Anderson asked.

Granger and Sam shared a look, both realizing that Anderson was proving to be a useless source of information. "Yeah, we're done," Granger said.

"So, I cooperated with you, right?" Anderson asked, looking anxiously at Sam and Granger as they stood up and headed for the door. "It's going to help me out, isn't it?"

"It'll help you just as much as you helped us," Sam replied, turning to glare at the turncoat ex-agent before storming out of the room with Granger following directly behind him.

xxxxx

Callen's visit with Deeks and Kensi had turned out better than it had started. They had eaten lunch, chatted and Callen was much more relaxed as the day progressed. After a couple of hours, it was obvious that Callen was more than ready to fall asleep. "Hey man, we're going to go and let you get some rest, okay?" Deeks said. "We'll see you tomorrow?"

Callen nodded. "Thanks guys, for the lunch and the balloons…for everything."

"You're welcome," Kensi said softly as she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "We're just happy to see that you're getting better. You take care of yourself and get some sleep." She hoped it would be a peaceful sleep, without nightmares, but she didn't say that out loud.

"I will…you guys take care too." He watched as they left the room and then settled back down against the pillows, hardly able to keep his eyes open. He was just about to drop off when the phone to his room rang. He tiredly fumbled for the receiver then held it up against his ear. "Hello?"

"Agent Callen! Who would have thought it would be so easy to track you down! You can't possibly imagine my excitement." Jonathan Page's familiar voice bellowed in Callen's ear and he felt his stomach drop.


	29. Chapter 29

Callen felt his heartbeat quicken as he tried to pull himself together. "What do you want, Page?" he finally asked, grateful that his voice sounded much stronger than he actually felt.

"That's not a very nice way to speak to me, is it?" Page asked, before letting out a chuckle. "After all, you and Alyssa put quite a crimp in my plans. I must say, it really ruined my day."

"Gee…that's a shame. So sorry I escaped your death trap," Callen said.

"Yes, well…there's always next time…"

"There's not going to be a next time," Callen stated.

"Oh that's where you and I differ," Page said. "There most certainly will be a next time. In fact, it's coming quicker than you could possibly guess."

Callen couldn't help the attack of nerves that came over him, wondering what Page had in mind. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your little tomb. It's lonely without you. You need to come back and fulfill your destiny."

"You're crazy if you think I'm going back there," Callen responded.

"Oh you'll be back. If not, then Alyssa will take your place and meet her demise in your so-called 'death trap.'"

"You wouldn't do that," Callen retorted, his tone not reflecting the uncertainty he felt inside at Page's words. "She's your niece. Your brother's daughter…you wouldn't…"

"Oh wouldn't I?" Page chuckled as Callen heard the sound of a loud crack and a woman's sob. "Agent Callen doesn't believe me, Alyssa…He doesn't understand that once someone has betrayed me, they've pretty much burned their bridges behind them. I don't believe in second chances."

"Leave her alone," Callen demanded. "What do you want?"

"I knew you'd come around," Page said and Callen could hear the smug satisfaction in Page's voice. "Like I said, I want you here to fulfill your destiny."

Callen took a deep breath, trying to ward off the start of the panic he knew was coming at just the thought of returning there. "I…I can't get there…" he stated. "Why don't you come here?"

Page began to laugh. "Me go there? You must either think I'm mad or very, very stupid, Agent Callen. I'm not going to the hospital. I know damn right well I can't get at you there. I'd be arrested before I got anywhere near you. You will come here or Alyssa will suffer the consequences." Page spoke slowly and deliberately. "You will come alone. You will come unarmed. You will be here by midnight tonight."

"Tonight? I'm still in the hospital. I can't get there that quickly."

"You're an agent, a resourceful man…I think you will find a way, Agent Callen and if you don't…well one less woman in the world probably won't matter that much now, will it?"

"I'll be there," Callen said quickly. "Don't hurt her."

"Good…very good. Remember, if you don't follow my rules, there will be consequences. I will have men waiting outside to escort you into the mine. If any of your fellow agents are with you, they will be killed and Alyssa will be killed as well. You would be wise to heed what I say. Until tonight…"

The phone clicked off and Callen hung up the receiver. He couldn't remember ever feeling so helpless and hopeless.

xxxxx

"What a waste of time," Sam stated as he and Granger exited the interrogation room. He was frustrated that their questioning hadn't revealed any useful information.

"Yeah, well…we had to try," Granger said. He was also discouraged that Anderson hadn't been helpful to them. "We'll get a lead though…"

"I hope so," said Sam as he glanced down at his watch. "I'm going to go try to find some good Italian food for dinner. G definitely needs to eat more. He's getting positively scrawny." He was relatively certain that Italian would tempt his partner's palate. "Would you like to have dinner with us?"

Granger shook his head, a slight smile on his lips. "I think I'll give your partner a break for today. I wouldn't want to spoil his appetite. I'm going to head back to the hotel and I'll check in on him tomorrow. I'm sorry this didn't turn out better."

Sam shrugged. "Yeah, me too, but I'm hopeful that Page will turn up sometime soon."

"Let's hope you're right. That dirt bag needs to be stopped."

xxxxx

"You're quiet," Deeks said, looking at Kensi curiously. She was sitting on the sofa in their hotel suite, gazing out the window. "You've barely said two words since we got back here."

"I was just thinking about Callen," Kensi said, turning to meet Deeks' gaze. "How does he seem to you?"

Deeks shrugged. "I don't know…not particularly great, but he's in the hospital. Who's really doing great when they're in the hospital?"

"I don't know…" Kensi shook her head slowly. "I can't put my finger on it, but he just seems really off to me, Deeks."

"He probably needs time, Kens…Callen's had a lot to deal with. It's understandable that he's kind of out of it, don't you think?"

"I guess so…" Kensi said with a soft sigh.

"Let's try to think of something we can do for him to cheer him up when we visit him tomorrow," Deeks suggested. "We'll get him feeling better before you know it."

Kensi nodded although she really had no idea what they could do to cheer up their team leader. Their options were somewhat limited.

"In the meantime, what do you want to do for dinner?" Deeks asked. "You feel like going out somewhere?

"No…not really," Kensi replied. She was tired and her ankle was aching. "I was thinking more along the lines of a long hot soak in the tub and then room service? I know we said we were going to cut back on it, but…"

"Sam says we shouldn't worry about it," Deeks said. "And right now, I'm tempted to agree with him. You want me to start the water for you?"

Kensi gave him a grateful nod and a smile. "Yes, please. That sounds perfect."

"Your wish is my command," Deeks said, giving her a quick kiss before going off to start her bath.

xxxxx

Hetty walked through the open doorway of Callen's room and hesitated briefly when she saw him sitting up in bed, looking uncharacteristically distraught. Also of concern was that he didn't even seem to notice her presence until she spoke. "Good afternoon, Mr. Callen. How are you feeling today?"

Callen started slightly when he heard Hetty's voice. He had been so caught up in agonizing over Page's phone call that he had lost touch with his surroundings. "Hi, Hetty," he said softly, trying to smile, but failing miserably.

"Oh, Mr. Callen, surely it's not that bad, is it?" Hetty asked, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Are you feeling worse again?"

Callen shook his head and finally managed to produce the smile that had previously escaped him. "No…Don't mind me, Hetty," he said. "Just feeling sorry for myself, I guess. I'm fine. How are you?"

"Well, if anyone has a right to feel sorry for himself, I would think it would be you," Hetty said. "However, I've brought you something that might just cheer you up a bit."

"Yeah?" Callen asked, trying to feign interest in whatever it was Hetty had brought him. He accepted the bag she handed him, looked inside and was actually pleased when he pulled out the tablet. "Thank you, Hetty, but you shouldn't have bought this."

"Compliments of NCIS actually," Hetty said smiling. "Owen approved it."

"Really?" Callen asked, somewhat surprised to hear that. "Well…that was nice of him."

"The hospital has wireless Internet access. Perhaps this will make the hours pass a bit more quickly for you."

"I'm sure it will," Callen said, nodding. The tablet actually would solve one problem for him, the location of the mine. He had no clue where it was or how far away. Although the mine's location was only part of the problem. He had no idea how he was going to get there. He had no clothes, no money, no credit cards…

"So…I was thinking…I'm going to need some clothes when I get out of this place…"

"Is the doctor thinking of releasing you already?" Hetty asked. She was surprised to hear it and not sure that she agreed with it. She didn't want him pushing himself too hard and too quickly. He needed to pace his recovery. Once he was released from the hospital, it would be much more difficult to monitor him, although she was relatively sure that Sam would keep tabs on him.

Callen shook his head and absently fiddled with the blankets covering him. "No…he hasn't said anything…maybe just wishful thinking on my part…"

"Oh, I see," Hetty said, nodding her head as she turned her attention to his nightstand and opened the cabinet on the bottom, then pulled out a white plastic bag. "I brought you and your teammates each one of these bags the night Owen and I arrived after you were first admitted. It has some clothes and things for you, so you should be all set when you're ready to leave the hospital."

"Thanks, Hetty…you think of everything," Callen said. He felt guilty that he was deceiving her, but that was another problem solved. There were still a number of other obstacles he needed to try to figure out though and he honestly was having his doubts that he would be able to do so, on his own. If he was physically okay it would have been difficult enough, but he wasn't and the task seemed insurmountable to him at the moment.

They chatted for a little while although Hetty could see that he was very distracted and his thoughts were elsewhere. She was curious as to what was troubling him, but decided not to pry, hoping that he would open up to Sam. Finally, she decided to take her leave. She had spoken to Sam earlier and knew that he was planning to bring Callen dinner and would be there soon. "I'm going to head back to the hotel now, Grisha," Hetty said, giving him an affectionate smile as she patted his hand. "You rest well, my boy, and I will see you tomorrow."

"Good night, Hetty," Callen said, his voice breaking slightly as he watched her leave the room. He was struck by a flood of emotions and quickly blinked his eyes against sudden threatening tears. He knew there was a very good possibility that he would never see her again. He would have wished nothing more than to just unburden the whole story to her, tell her and Granger everything and let them try to come up with a plan while he just rested and recovered. It just wasn't in the cards though. He had never been that person. He felt responsible for Alyssa. She had risked her life to save him. Now he had to return the favor, no matter what the consequences might be.


	30. Chapter 30

"Oh stop looking so scared Alyssa," Jonathan said. He was obviously irritated as he glared at his niece who was cowering on the ground, backed up against the wall of the cave. "I barely touched you. I'm beginning to think I should have whacked you around when you were growing up. You're much too soft."

Alyssa said nothing. She just sat huddled as small as she could make herself, with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She just hoped Agent Callen was going to come. She wasn't happy that he was likely going to be killed, but she wasn't brave enough that she wasn't willing for him to trade his life for hers.

"Boo!" Jonathan laughed as Alyssa jumped. "Don't worry, my darling niece. I'm sure that the dashing Agent Callen will come to your rescue. In any case, I'm not planning to kill you. I have a new and exciting career opportunity chosen especially for you."

"Wh…what kind of opportunity?" she asked nervously.

As soon as I've disposed of Callen, you, your uncle Robert and I are going to meet up with some contacts of mine and then we'll be flying to South America. I've secured some property down there and a lovely home to live in. Of course, I'll be needing a household staff. You will be my head maid."

"Your maid?" Alyssa's eyes widened as she learned of this new fate in store for her. "But…I went to school to become a journalist…I…I can't be a maid."

"Oh you can and will be a maid, Alyssa," Jonathan said, his eyes darkening dangerously. "You will be a maid until I say differently. It will give you something to write about. When I've felt that you have learned your lesson, you will be able to pursue your journalistic endeavors, but only after I've given you permission to do so. In the meantime, being a maid will give you something new and different to write about."

Alyssa knew better than to contradict him. She wondered if he had always been this way and she hadn't noticed it before or maybe her father's death had just pushed him over the edge. In any case, she now knew he was a very evil man.

xxxxx

After Hetty left him, Callen took a few minutes to rest and try to get some semblance of a plan. He couldn't seem to come up with anything though. He knew that his only way of getting to the mine would be to steal a vehicle. It was something that would have come easily to him under usual circumstances, but now? The whole concept of leaving the hospital and scouring the parking lot to find a suitable vehicle was totally overwhelming. With a heavy sigh, he opened the box containing the tablet and plugged the charger into the wall socket, then set to work googling the location of the mine. It didn't take him long to do that and he discovered it would be about a 45 minute drive. He desperately hoped that once he got outside, adrenaline would kick in and give him some badly needed energy. At the moment, he was fatigued, his eyes were heavy and it was all he could do not to fall asleep.

Eventually, he reached down to retrieve the plastic bag Hetty had put back at the bottom of the nightstand. He pulled out a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt, underwear, socks and a pair of sneakers which he placed on the bed. He just sat there staring at them for a few minutes, then began to slowly dress himself. This, in itself, turned into quite a chore for him. The pain, which had been kept relatively at bay when he was lying quietly in bed, reared its ugly head and attacked him with a vengeance. "Dammit," he hissed sharply when he made a twisting motion which caused the pain from his broken ribs to flare up. He finally managed to get himself dressed, but the undertaking had practically done him in. He was sweating, shaky and very weak. At that moment, he finally accepted that there was no way he would be able to accomplish this alone. Even if he was able to get to the mine without passing out, he would basically be committing suicide. He would be nothing but a toy for Page in his condition and he certainly would be of no help at all to Alyssa. He eyed the telephone on his nightstand for a few long minutes and ultimately made the only decision that he could. He reached for the phone then slowly dialed Sam's number.

xxxxx

Sam's heartbeat began to speed up when his cell phone rang and he saw the caller ID for the hospital on the display. "Sam Hanna," he said, after clicking on the phone. He was driving the SUV Granger had rented. The assistant director had insisted Sam take it after he had driven back to the hotel, stating it made no sense for Sam to take a taxi to pick up dinner and then go back to the hospital.

"Hey, Sam…It's me."

Sam immediately breathed a sigh of relief when he heard his partner's voice. "Hey G, what's up? You want me to bring you something? I got dinner. I'm on my way back to the hospital now."

"You're coming back now?" Callen asked, echoing Sam.

"Yeah…is everything okay?" Sam asked as he steered the vehicle into a right hand turn.

"Page called me…" Callen's voice was not much louder than a whisper, but Sam heard him loud and clear.

"What? When did he call? What did he want?"

"Can…can we just talk about it when you get here?" Callen asked and Sam could tell from his voice that everything was definitely not okay.

"Yeah, sure G," Sam said, automatically putting a little bit more pressure on the gas pedal to speed up. "Listen I'm going to be there really soon, okay?"

"Okay, thanks Sam."

Sam heard the click of the phone signifying that G had hung up and focused on getting to the hospital as quickly as possible.

xxxxx

Callen hung up the phone, relieved that Sam would be there before too long. He felt very thirsty and reached for the cup of ice water that was sitting on his tray, taking a few sips. He then leaned back against the pillows, intending to close his eyes for just a few short moments, but instead fell asleep almost immediately.

xxxxx

Deeks was sitting on the sofa, waiting for Kensi to finish her bath, when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw Hetty's name on the caller ID. "Hi, Hetty," he said, holding the phone up to his ear.

"Hello, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said. "I was wondering if you and Miss Blye have had dinner yet?"

"No, we haven't," Deeks said. "Kensi's soaking in the tub right now. She doesn't really feel like going anywhere tonight."

"I was thinking we could have dinner together this evening, if it's not an imposition," Hetty said. "I will pick something up and bring it to your room. Is there anything particular you would like?"

"Of course it's not an imposition, Hetty," Deeks said. "We'd love to have dinner with you, but you don't have to bring anything. We can figure it all out after you get here."

"Nonsense, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said. "I will bring something and will see you soon."

"Okay, Hetty, we'll see you," Deeks replied. He then got up off the sofa to go inform Kensi that she needed to hurry herself along as they were going to have a guest for dinner.

xxxxx

Sam quietly walked into Callen's room and stopped momentarily to observe him, as he reached his bedside. The first thing he noted was that he was completely dressed which told him that G had been up to no good before his phone call to Sam. Also of note, was that he was fast asleep, which Sam knew would never be the case, if his partner was anywhere near being recovered. "You're having a pretty rough go of it, aren't you, buddy," he whispered, putting the bag of food down on Callen's bed. He wanted to let his partner sleep, but knew he couldn't do it. At the very least, he needed to find out what Page had said.

"G?" Sam spoke softly as he gently patted Callen's shoulder. "Come on, G…wake up."

Sam gave a look of relief as Callen slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his partner. "Oh…hey Sam, what's up?"

Sam gave him a perplexed look. "You called me, G… remember?"

Callen frowned as he thought for a few moments and then nodded as he struggled to sit up. "Page… Sam, he's going to kill Alyssa."

"How'd he even know you were here?" Sam asked, seating himself in the chair by Callen's bed.

"It wasn't hard to figure out," Callen said. "I'm in the same place I was when he abducted me."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, that's true…so what did he say?"

"I have to go to the mine by midnight. If I don't, he said Alyssa will take my place and he'll kill her. I'm supposed to fulfill my destiny... he wants me dead in my tomb…"

"Crazy bastard," Sam murmured. He was grateful at least that Callen seemed less sluggish and more oriented. "So…you were planning to go to the mine, by yourself, with no backup?" He stared at Callen, his eyes searing into those of his friend's. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"That I didn't want anyone else to get hurt…" Callen broke his gaze away from his partner and stared down at the blanket, picking imaginary pieces of lint off it.

Sam shook his head, but didn't say anything. As much as he wanted to, now wasn't really the time for lectures. He was just thankful that, for whatever reason, Callen had not been able to carry out his very dubious plan and head to the mine on his own. "So…what scheme are you cooking up now?" he asked.

"No scheme. But I do have to go there, Sam…Page is crazy. I believe that he'll kill Alyssa if I don't do what he says."

Sam nodded. He didn't really like the idea of G going into the mine, but it was hard to think of another plan. "So, should I call Hetty and Granger so we can figure out details?"

"No, not Hetty," Callen said, with a quick shake of his head. "She'll never agree to me leaving the hospital."

Sam sighed and ran his hand over his face. Privately, he agreed with the assessment that his partner shouldn't leave the hospital, but choices, as well as time, were limited. Page had been wise to make a move when G was still hospitalized and would be easily overcome in his condition. "Really, G? You want to keep this from Hetty?"

"Do you think she'll sign off on me leaving the hospital?"

"I think we can talk her into it. I don't think we should keep her out of the plan."

Callen absently nibbled on his lower lip but then shook his head adamently. "No…we can't tell Hetty."

"I don't like it, G," Sam said.

Callen ignored Sam's opinion. "Can you call Granger? Ask him to come here?" He was pretty sure Granger would go along with them. At least he hoped he would.

"What about Deeks?" Sam asked, pulling out his cell phone.

"What about him?" Callen asked. "He's hurt. I don't want to see him further injure himself."

"He can handle a gun and you can trust him. You need people you can trust who will have your back. I say we have him with us."

"Okay," Callen said, realizing that Sam was right about Deeks. "I'll call him."

"I'll call Granger," Sam said as he headed out of Callen's room. "I'll be right back."

xxxxx

Deeks, Hetty and Kensi were just about to begin eating dinner when Deeks' cell phone rang. "Excuse me," he said, pulling the phone out of his pocket. His eyes widened a bit when he saw Harborview Medical Center on the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey, Deeks, it's Callen."

"Oh hey, Callen," Deeks replied. "What's up? Everything okay?" He looked toward Hetty and Kensi and saw that the two women had stopped chatting and were giving him their full attention.

"Page contacted me," Callen said. "Sam is calling Granger and we're going to try to come up with a plan. We'd like you to join us if you can. Oh and Deeks? Just a heads up in case you talk to her, we're not telling Hetty about this."

"Pizza night with the guys sounds great," Deeks said.

"Is Hetty with you now? Shit."

"Yeah, you've got that right," Deeks said. "Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Just yourself and your gun…thanks, Deeks."

"No problem, Callen. I'll see you soon." Deeks clicked off the phone and smiled at Kensi and Hetty. "Well…I guess you heard. I'm sorry, Hetty, but it's going to just be a girls dinner tonight. Pizza won't be anywhere near as appetizing, but I don't want to disappoint Callen. He doesn't ask for much, you know? And he's pretty depressed being in the hospital and all so I probably should go…" He realized he was talking too much so he stopped. He wanted to tell Kensi what was going on, but with Hetty sitting right beside her, that was pretty much impossible.

"Mr. Callen called you about pizza?" Hetty asked, giving Deeks a speculative look. "I wonder why he didn't mention this earlier when you were there?"

"Uh…I don't know…maybe it was Sam's idea," Deeks shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "You know how these spur of the moment things are…"

"Hmm…yes, well have a good time. You mustn't keep them waiting."

"No, yes…I mean, no I don't want to keep them waiting…" He stood up and leaned down toward s Kensi to give her a kiss. "I'll see you later, baby," he said. "You and Hetty enjoy your dinner."

Kensi nodded, feeling somewhat uneasy, but she didn't question him. "Bye, Deeks…have fun."

He nodded. "Just have to get my sweatshirt." He walked into the bedroom and grabbed his gun which he shoved into the waistband at the back of his pants. He then put on his sweatshirt, making sure his weapon was covered up. He went back out into the living room and with a quick goodbye, headed off to return to the hospital.

xxxxx

"Granger has to get some equipment and then he'll be here," Sam said as he re-entered Callen's hospital room. "Were you able to reach Deeks?"

"I was," replied Callen with a nod. "Only thing is, he was with Hetty…"

"Oh yeah? I hope she doesn't get too suspicious," Sam said, inwardly thinking it might be good if she did. He started to shuffle through the bag of Italian food and pulled out a salad and a container of lasagna which he put down emphatically on the tray in front of his partner, along with plastic utensils. "Dinner."

"I'm not really all that hungry," Callen said. "Deeks and Kensi brought in lunch earlier…"

Sam shook his head. "I don't want to hear it. We have time before the others get here and you're going to eat, G. If you don't…well…I might just be tempted to give Hetty a call…tell her you're being uncooperative…that maybe she should come by and talk to you."

"You wouldn't do that…"

"Wouldn't I?" Sam said, staring at his partner. "Don't try me, G…You know I'm not particularly happy with what we're doing. I wouldn't push my buttons if I were you… You know I can stop this if I decide to."

Callen looked back at Sam and saw that he was definitely not playing around. With a faint sigh, he took the cover off the lasagna container and slowly began to eat while they waited for Deeks and Granger to arrive.


	31. Chapter 31

“That was kind of weird,” Kensi commented as she passed one of the food containers to Hetty.

Hetty nodded in agreement as she mulled over what had just taken place. “Yes…yes it was.”

“Oh, Deeks is going to be sorry he missed this,” Kensi said as she opened her own container and revealed a delicious-looking fish dinner. 

“It’s a specialty of this particular establishment,“ Hetty stated. “Ritzy Alaskan Ling Cod with buttered crumb topping, whipped potatoes and fresh vegetables.”

“Mmm…it’s so good, Hetty,” Kensi said as she took a bite of the fish. “I really am sorry that Deeks ran out on you.”

“I can’t help but wonder…” Hetty began, taking a bite of her own meal.

“Wonder what?” Kensi asked. 

“When I spoke with Sam earlier, he said he was going to get Italian food for him and Mr. Callen for dinner. As he put it, he’s trying to fatten him up,” Hetty said, smiling.

“Well…pizza is Italian,” Kensi said.

“Yes, but I wasn’t under the impression that Sam was going to be getting pizza,” Hetty said.

“Maybe that’s what Callen wanted?”

Hetty nodded. “Yes, perhaps…in any case, I guess we’d better eat before our dinner gets cold.”

xxxxx

Sam and Callen pretty much ate in silence. Sam was starved and once Callen had started in on the lasagna he realized he was hungrier than he thought he was. Even though in his own eyes, his recovery was going frustratingly slowly, his appetite had definitely returned. “See, you did need to eat, G,” Sam commented. Callen had polished off about two-thirds of the lasagna and half the salad. 

Callen nodded. “You were right, Sam. Thanks for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.” The two men both looked towards the doorway as Deeks entered the room. 

“Hey, what’s up fellows?” he asked, sniffing appreciatively. “Mmm…This place smells like an Italian restaurant.” 

“Yeah, sorry, Deeks,” Sam gave him an apologetic look. “I would have brought you dinner too if I had known this was happening.”

“Hey that’s okay, no worries…even though Hetty had brought us what I think would have been an amazing dinner.” He looked at the abandoned food on Callen’s tray. “I’m not proud though and I am hungry. Are you finished with that?”

“Be my guest.” Callen pushed the lasagna and salad towards him and Sam handed him some utensils.

“Thanks,” Deeks said, immediately digging into the food. “So what’s the plan?” 

“We don’t really have much of one,” Sam admitted. “Basically, Page called G and said he wants him at the mine by midnight to, as he so eloquently put it, fulfill his destiny.”

Deeks shrugged. “So we’re just going in and taking him out?”

Callen shook his head. “We could do that, but he said if I don’t go in there alone, he’s going to kill Alyssa.”

“That’s his niece?” Deeks asked. “I doubt he’ll follow through on that. Do you think he will?”

“I think there’s a good chance he would,” Callen replied. “This guy isn’t playing with a full deck. There’s no telling what he would do. In any case, I’m not willing to take that chance. I’m going in there by myself.”

“So it’s just us the three of us?” Deeks asked, not particularly liking their odds, especially with Callen’s health a definite question mark.

“Granger will be here soon,” Sam said. 

“So… what’s the deal with leaving Hetty out of the loop?” asked Deeks. “It forced me to leave Kensi out also and I didn’t like having to lie to her.”

“Sorry about that,” said Callen, “but I don’t think Hetty would support me leaving the hospital to pursue this.” 

“No, you’re probably right about that,” Deeks said.

“You want some Italian bread?” Sam asked. He reached into the bag and pulled out a small loaf of bread and a plastic cup of whipped butter, which he handed to Deeks.

“Thanks.” Deeks gratefully took the bread from Sam. He was still very hungry. Just as he was spreading some butter onto a slice of bread, Granger came into the room, carrying a cardboard box.

“How’s everyone doing?” Granger asked as he placed the box onto the bed by Callen’s feet. “Tell me what you’ve come up with so far.”

“We haven’t really come up with a plan yet,” Sam admitted. “We were waiting for you.”

“But I am going in there alone,” Callen stated.

Granger cast a long look at Callen. “Are you really sure that’s a good idea, Agent Callen?” he asked. “No offense, but you look like crap.”

“Well, I feel really good,” Callen said determinedly. Perhaps if he said it enough times, it would turn out to be true.

“Okay then, here,” Granger reached into the box and pulled out a blue button down shirt which he tossed to Callen. “Put this on.”

“Why?” Callen asked, not particularly wanting to go through more pain in trying to dress himself, especially with everyone watching him. “Is there some kind of a mine dress code that I’m unaware of? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“You’re going to be wearing a button cam. It doesn’t work particularly well on a t-shirt.” He showed the men a palm-sized monitor. “I’m not sure if we will get your signal from inside the mine, but hopefully, we’ll be able to track your movements. If not, we’re only allowing you a few minutes before we follow you in.”

Callen took the shirt and slowly put it on over his t-shirt, taking care not to make any fast or twisting motions as he did so. “How are you going to see to go into the mine?” Callen asked. “If you use any kind of light, they’re going to spot you and you’ll lose the element of surprise.”

“Hopefully, they won’t be too far in there,” Sam said. “You weren’t too far in the mine the first time they had you.”

“Really?” Callen asked, giving Sam a curious look. He knew how claustrophobic he was and how much he hated places like that. “How do you know that? Did you go into the mine?”

“Of course I did, G…” Sam said, his eyes filled with emotion. “You’re my best friend. I had to go in there.”

“Thank you, Sam,” Callen said quietly, after the two partners exchanged a long look. 

“I don’t want to break up this heartfelt moment, but we’re on the clock,” Granger interrupted them gruffly. He then looked at Callen. “Do you think you can drive at all? I figured we would drive together until we’re about a quarter mile from the mine. Then you can drive the rest of the way and we’ll follow you in on foot.”

“I can drive,” Callen stated, not really convincing any of them.

Granger went on outlining the plans, including taking some of the agents who had been performing guard duty with them. As he tried to listen to Granger, Callen found his eyelids getting more and more heavy as he drifted in and out of the conversation. Finally, his body’s need for sleep outweighed his desire to partake in the planning session and he drifted off, his head dropping back against the pillows. Granger noticed immediately. “Are you sure bringing him along is such a good idea?” he asked Sam. “I think we should   
go in without him and just take them down.”

Sam shook his head slowly. “G’s adamant that he go in there alone. He truly believes Page will kill Alyssa if he doesn’t…but you’re right…” He looked at his partner, his face filled with doubt. “I feel like we’re leading a lamb to the slaughter…”

“And your partner is that lamb, I take it, Mr. Hanna?” Hetty asked, startling the three men as they looked toward the doorway and saw Hetty enter the room with Kensi trailing behind her. The room was immediately filled with an uncomfortable silence.

“Where’s the pizza, Mr. Deeks?” Hetty asked, focusing her penetrating gaze on Deeks. “Has it not been delivered yet?”

“I’m sorry, Hetty…” Deeks said, looking guilty, as he lowered his eyes to stare at the floor.

“It wasn’t his fault, Hetty,” Sam defended the junior team member. “We told him to keep you out of it.” He turned his attention to Kensi. “Deeks didn’t want to lie to you, Kensi.”

“And why exactly was I excluded?” Hetty asked, “and what exactly is going on?”

“Page called G this afternoon,” Sam said, deciding that full disclosure was now their only option. “He said he wants him at the mine by midnight or he’s going to kill Alyssa.”

“I see,” Hetty stated. “And Mr. Callen knew I would not be in favor of this.”

Sam nodded.

“But you think it’s a good idea?” she asked, her eyes on Sam.

Sam shook his head. “No…I don’t, but, he feels really strongly about it, Hetty. If we don’t let him do this and Alyssa gets killed…I don’t like to think about the consequences. His state of mind is fragile enough these days.”

Hetty sighed softly and turned her attention to Granger. “What do you think, Owen? Are you in favor of this plan?”

Granger shrugged. “I’m going along with it, Henrietta, but basically, I just want to get this bastard. I’m good with leaving Agent Callen here and proceeding without him.“ He glanced at the agent who was still asleep, oblivious to the fact that Hetty was even in the room. “I honestly think that’s the best course of action. I don’t think he’s in any shape to come with us.”

“You’ve been rather quiet, Mr. Deeks,” Hetty said, turning to face him. “What’s your opinion?”

“Me? Uh…” Deeks ran his hand back through his hair. “I don’t really have an opinion, Hetty…”

“Really? No opinion at all, Mr. Deeks? That’s not like you.”

He frowned a little as he gazed back at her. “I guess…I know Callen is sick and all, but…he’s in a tough situation. I get why he wants to go there…I’d probably feel the same way…”

“Miss Blye?” Hetty turned to look back at her. “What do you think?”

Kensi looked at Deeks then at Callen who at that moment shifted and whimpered slightly in his sleep. Her eyes filled with sympathy, she sighed and looked back at Hetty. “I don’t like going against Callen,” she began, “but in this case, I don’t want to see get more badly hurt. I think we need to protect him from himself.”

Hetty gave Kensi a faint smile and nodded as she approached the bedside of the man in question. “Mr. Callen?” she said as she took his hand and squeezed it. “Time to wake up.” 

Callen stirred slightly when he heard her voice and forced his eyes open as she squeezed his hand again. “Oh…hi, Hetty,” he said, giving her a sheepish look. “I’m surprised to see you.” 

Sam, who was watching his partner closely, was gratified to see that at the moment, Callen seemed very oriented.

“Hmm…I bet you’re surprised,” Hetty said. “What’s the meaning of all these shenanigans going on behind my back?”

“I…” Callen glanced around the room, searching for help, but no one seemed inclined to give it. “I knew you wouldn’t want me to leave the hospital, so I said we shouldn’t involve you,” he finally said.

“That’s what you thought?” Hetty asked.

“Yes,” Callen said with a nod.

“Well…you were absolutely right, Mr. Callen. From what I can see, you’re barely able to keep yourself awake and alert, much less make yourself the target of a very dangerous mission.” 

“Hetty…”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Hetty, please! I have to. Page will kill her. I know he will. He’s going to be holed up in that mine, ready and waiting for whoever shows up. If anyone but me goes in there, he’ll do it. He knows how much it will eat at me if he kills her. How do you expect me to live with that? At least if I’m in there, it will take his attention off of her and then, hopefully, the team can neutralize him.” Callen looked at her beseechingly. “Please?”

Hetty stared into his blue eyes. He certainly knew how to get to her. He’d been doing it since he was a boy. She was very tempted to give in to him, but should she? She knew it was extremely likely he would end up losing his life if she acquiesced to his request. She shook her head, about to say no, but in the end she just couldn’t refuse him. “Fine, Mr. Callen,” she said, “But mark my words, you are not the leader of this little mission. You will follow the orders of Owen and Sam to the letter and if they determine, for any reason, it is too dangerous or you are unable to physically take this on, you will listen to them and pull out. No arguments.”

Callen nodded. “I will, Hetty. Thank you. I promise I’ll listen.” 

She turned to Granger and Sam. “Watch him carefully,” she said before casting another look at the leader of her team. She hoped she did not end up regretting her decision.


	32. Chapter 32

"Well...now that that's settled, I think we need to get this show on the road," Granger said as the others nodded.

"I'd like to go too," said Kensi. "I could be out on the perimeter. You know my shooting could come in handy."

Deeks walked over to her. "Baby…you know we'd love to have you out there," he said gently. "But we'll be walking through rough terrain in the middle of the night…it's not a good idea."

"I can do it, Deeks," Kensi insisted. "I'm not fragile."

At that point, Hetty stepped in. "Ms. Blye, I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Deeks. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go along. You will accompany me. I'm going to drive out to where the team will be dropped off. We will be close by and can monitor the situation."

Kensi sighed as she tried to think of a convincing argument, but even she couldn't really disagree. "Fine…" she said softly after a few moments of silence.

Hetty turned to Sam. "Mr. Hanna, can you please go get a wheelchair for your partner?"

Sam nodded. "No problem, Hetty.

"Wait. I don't need a wheelchair," Callen said.

"Really, Mr. Callen? Already you're being difficult?" Hetty shook her head. "If it's going to be like this, I'm going to put an end to this right now. You will stay here, under heavy guard, until this is over with." As she uttered the words out loud, Hetty realized that they had merit and wished that was what she had decided to do in the first place.

Callen looked back at Hetty, saw that she was deadly serious and relented. "I guess I do need a wheelchair, after all," he said, quickly backing down. Sam grinned and headed out of the room to retrieve one.

xxxxx

While they waited for Sam to return with the wheelchair, Deeks decided to take the opportunity to talk with Kensi about what had happened back at the hotel. "You should sit down," he said quietly. She nodded and allowed him to lead her to a chair. He then squatted beside her. "Are you angry with me because I didn't tell you what was going on?"

Kensi gazed at him for a long moment, but then offered a faint smile as she shook her head. "No Deeks, I'm not angry. You were put in a difficult situation. I don't see that you really had much of a choice. I wouldn't have expected you to go against Callen, especially with all that we've been through together."

"Thank you for understanding," Deeks said. "I really did want to tell you the truth...I just didn't get the chance to do so."

Kensi nodded. "I know you did. Just don't make a habit of it."

"I would never do that." He stood up and leaned in towards her to gently kiss her lips.

"I'm back," Sam announced as he re-entered the room, pushing an empty wheelchair. "Your chariot awaits, G." Callen carefully moved off the bed then dropped heavily into the wheelchair. His lower limbs were weak and he was unsure why he had protested it to begin with. He was pretty sure his legs wouldn't have carried him through the hospital to wherever their vehicle was parked. He just hoped he would make it to where Page was without falling on his face.

"Doubts, Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked, observing him closely.

Callen quickly shook his head. "No…no doubts, Hetty," he assured her while inwardly wondering, not for the first time, if she could read minds. "I'm good."

Just then, a nurse entered the room. She looked around in obvious confusion at the group of people assembled there, then at Callen. "What exactly is going on here, Mr. Callen?" she asked him. "What are you doing dressed and out of bed?"

"Just taking a little side trip," Callen said, giving her his most charming smile. "I'll be back."

She was unmoved by Callen's attempt at charm. "Does Dr. Hathaway know about this?" she asked.

"Uh…no…"

"You can't leave."

"I have to."

She shook her head. "No…no you don't have to. This is highly irregular. I'm going to go notify my supervisor." She quickly turned and left the room with purposeful strides.

"We'd better get out of here," Callen said. He felt like a prisoner plotting a prison break.

Hetty shook her head. "No. You're not leaving here like some runaway child. We will wait and then sign you out AMA.

Granger shook his head. "He's right. We don't have time for that right now, Henrietta. We'll just get through all the red tape when we bring him back, after this is all over."

Hetty pondered that for a few long moments and then finally nodded her head. "Fine. Let's be on our way then."

xxxxx

"G? Why don't you try to sleep until we get there?" Sam asked, glancing at his exhausted-appearing partner before turning to concentrate on the road. Granger had allowed Sam to drive with Callen next to him in the front seat. He and Deeks were seated in the back. Their vehicle was followed by a second SUV with the three NCIS agents who had been on duty at the hospital. Hetty and Kensi's vehicle brought up the rear.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Callen answered snippily.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked, appearing somewhat bewildered by his partner's comment.

"You'd probably conveniently forget to wake me up when we got there," Callen stated.

Sam shook his head in irritation. He knew everything was far from okay with his partner, but he still felt somewhat hurt by the remark. "What the hell is with you, G? I go out of my way to stand by you, to have your back. I can't see that I've given you any reason not to trust me and you come up with that? I don't deserve it. You obviously need sleep even more than I thought you did."

Callen opened his mouth to give some nasty retort then closed it, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry, Sam," he murmured. "I honestly don't know what's wrong with me…I didn't mean it. I know you've got my back."

"Damn straight," Sam mumbled.

"I said I was sorry." Callen turned his head away from his partner, then leaned his cheek against the seat and stared out the window. He was tense and out of sorts and just wanted this to be over with so he could hopefully get back to feeling normal again.

xxxxx

Granger had been closely monitoring the GPS and when they were a little over a quarter mile from the mine, he ordered Sam to pull the SUV over to the side of the road. The other two SUVs pulled up behind them. "Agent Callen, here, take this," Granger said as he passed a small pistol to his agent.

Callen shook his head. "Page said I have to be unarmed," he said.

"They might not check you for weapons. It might be worth the risk," Granger said.

Callen considered it, then shook his head again. "I'd better not."

"Put it in the glove compartment…Just in case you change your mind."

Callen nodded and did as Granger asked.

"You sure you're okay to drive?" Granger asked.

"I'm fine," Callen replied.

"Okay, I'm going to do the best I can to closely track your movements," Granger said. "Try not to make any wisecracks. You don't want to antagonize this freak any further. We'll get there as fast as we can. Good luck." He then exited the SUV.

"Hang in there, Callen," Deeks said, placing his hand supportively on Callen's shoulder. "We'll be there soon."

"Thanks, Deeks."

Deeks nodded and got out of the SUV to give Callen and Sam a moment to themselves.

"You okay?" Sam asked, looking at his partner worriedly. The momentary friction between them had dissolved. Now Sam only felt concern for his partner, wishing like hell he wasn't going into this alone. Basically, he was being dangled like a worm on a hook. Sam didn't like it one bit.

Callen nodded, seeing the distress in Sam's eyes, knowing he would feel the same way if Sam was walking into that mine unprotected. "Everything will be alright, Sam."

"You don't know that, G," Sam said, shaking his head. "I don't think this is a good idea. You should let us all go in there and try to take Page by surprise. There's a good chance we'll succeed and get Alyssa out of there without her being hurt."

"We've already been through this, big guy," Callen said quietly. "Don't worry, Sam. I know you guys have my back and will be there before I know it."

Sam took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah…yeah okay," he said quietly. "You just make sure you keep yourself alive until we get in there to save your skinny ass."

Callen nodded with a smirk at his partner. "You've got it."

"Okay…guess we'd better change places and get a move on," Sam said, his hand on the handle of the driver's side door.

Callen nodded and got out of the SUV. Everyone was gathered outside, including Hetty and Kensi. Kensi came up to him, let her crutches drop to the ground and gave him a tight embrace. "You be careful, Callen," she said.

"I will be, Kens," he assured her. She drew back from him, her eyes emotional, as Deeks handed her the crutches which he had picked up from the ground.

"Mr. Callen," Hetty said, coming up to him. "Are you sure you won't reconsider? We will do our best to keep Alyssa safe from harm."

"I'm sorry, Hetty," he said. "This is just something I have to do…"

She nodded. "I understand. God speed then."

He nodded and with a quick wave to his group of friends, he got into the SUV and headed in the direction of the mine.

xxxxx

As Callen drove towards the mine, his heartbeat progressively grew faster. When he arrived, he took a few deep breaths as he stared at the entrance, basically terrified at the idea of going back inside. There was an SUV parked outside and no one else around. He slowly got out of the vehicle and then three figures approached him, each coming from a different direction. The men were armed with rifles and one of them was particularly intimidating. He was about Sam's height, but probably outweighed him by a good 50 to 60 pounds. He expertly patted Callen down and then pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Hands behind you," he said.

"Really?" Callen asked. The three of you are armed and you still need to cuff me?"

"Shut up and put your hands behind your back. I'm not going to ask again," he snarled.

Callen did as he asked and the man cuffed him, making sure the cuffs were extremely tight against his wrists. "I don't suppose you could loosen these a bit?" Callen asked.

The man ignored his request. "Move." He nudged Callen with the rifle, directing him towards the mine.

They hadn't walked very far at all when they reached Page, his brother and Alyssa. Callen's eyes immediately fell on Alyssa who was huddled on the ground against the wall of the mine. "Are you alright?" he asked her softly, noting the bruising on her face and the dull, lifeless look in her eyes. It was obvious that she was traumatized.

She nodded, not looking at him.

"Don't talk to her, Agent Callen," Page snapped.

"I don't take orders from you, Page," Callen stated.

"Really?" Page asked, smirking. "Then why did you come here? Why didn't you just stay in the warmth and safety of your hospital bed?"

"Because I want to take you down, Page. I want to see you rot away in prison for what you've done."

Page started to laugh. "Really? You're going to take me down? I'd like to see how you're going to accomplish that. You're nothing but a fool."

Callen just smirked. He knew that the team would be there soon. He just needed to keep alive until that happened.

"I think a blindfold is in order. Maybe then you won't be so high and mighty."

His heart speeding up, Callen unconsciously backed away, bumping into the musclebound man.

The man seized Callen and held him, gripping his arms tightly. Then he leaned down and whispered in his ear. "You better stay away from me, pretty boy…you might not like what you get in return."

Callen broke out into a cold sweat as he managed to break away from the man, almost losing his balance in the process.

Page smiled maliciously. "You don't like that idea, do you? Sorry, Russell. If I wasn't so set on killing him, he'd be a nice addition to your collection. Unfortunately, I just can't let him live."

Callen's nerves were totally on edge as he briefly pondered the meaning of Russell's so-called collection. He put it out of his mind though, realizing that Page was the main consideration at the moment.

"Is the poor baby still afraid of the dark?" Page cooed, then his voice became harsher. "Blindfold him, Russell." Russell grabbed him and roughly tied a blindfold over Callen's eyes. Disoriented, Callen could feel himself begin to panic as he was overcome with memories of being left in the darkness in the mine.

"Come on, let's go," Page ordered.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Callen asked, but no one answered him as they forcibly shoved him along. The rough shoves, combined with his weak legs, caused him to stumble several times. He had no idea if they were moving out of the mine or further inside of it. "Where are we going?" he repeated, but was once again ignored.

After a couple of minutes or so, Callen could feel the fresh air on his face. At that point, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they were outside and not further inside the mine. He prayed that his team was nearby. Suddenly the sound of gunshots filled the air and he was unceremoniously shoved into a vehicle, likely the SUV he had seen when he had first arrived at the mine. "Let's get out of here!" he heard Page's voice as other car doors slammed. The motor started up and before he knew it, they were on the move.


	33. Chapter 33

Sam was holding Granger's small monitor and keeping a close watch over Callen's movements as seen through the button cam and heard through the tiny microphone which Granger had also planted. "Who is this goon?" he asked as he watched one of the three men who approached his partner roughly handcuff him. "He's like twice as big as G."

Deeks moved in next to Sam to get a look at the guy. "Wow…he sure is an ugly sucker," he commented.

Sam continued to watch as they walked, his anger growing by the second when G was blindfolded and Page and Russell taunted him with thinly veiled threats.

"Calm down, Agent Hanna," Granger said. "We're just about there…Callen needs you cool and collected. They're just messing with him right now. They haven't hurt him…that's the important thing."

Sam nodded as he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He knew that Granger was right. He needed to stay calm. He couldn't screw this up. Just before they reached the mine, Granger ordered them to split up along the perimeter, keeping under the cover of trees and bushes. "It looks like they're on their way out," Sam said, seeing what G couldn't see, that they were approaching the opening to the mine. He and Deeks were together off to the left of the mine entrance. Just as the group emerged from the mine, out of nowhere, gunshots were fired in the direction of Deeks and Sam. "Where the hell are they shooting from?" Deeks asked, frantically searching, but unable to determine where the gunshots were originating from.

Sam shook his head in frustration. "I don't know." He turned his head as he heard the sound of the SUV doors slamming closed. "Shit! We've got to stop them!" he shouted, taking aim at the SUV's tires. It was too late though and the vehicle sped off down the road. Two of the men had taken off into the woods and Sam assumed Alyssa, Callen, Page, Robert and Russell were the ones who remained in the vehicle. Shots continued to be fired at them, effectively keeping them pinned down and unable to reach their vehicle. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the shooting stopped. From somewhere off in the distance they heard the sound of a vehicle starting up and then quickly speeding away.

"Dammit! This has all gone to hell!" Sam shouted as he ran towards the SUV and opened the door. "Where the hell are the keys? We're never going to catch up with them!"

Deeks, hot on Sam's trail, opened the passenger side door, found the keys on the floor and instantly handed them off to Sam. "Here are the keys, Sam."

Sam grabbed the keys from Deeks and was about to get behind the wheel when Granger grabbed his arm, stopping him. "I'll drive, Sam. Get in the passenger seat."

"We're wasting time, Granger," Sam said angrily. "They already have a head start. If they get to a main road, G is as good as dead."

"Deeks, get in the back," Granger ordered. Deeks did as Granger asked and Agents Atkins and Rollins got into the back of the SUV as well.

"What the hell, Granger!" Sam yelled as he got into the passenger seat. "We're never going to catch up with them now." He was failing his partner. He was supposed to have his back and they were standing around, twiddling their thumbs as they discussed who would sit where. Granger got into the driver's seat and handed a GPS locator device to Hanna. "Make sure we stay on them."

"You're tracking G?" Sam asked, looking at Granger with both surprise and relief. "You didn't say anything…"

"I wasn't about to lose him again after what happened at the hospital. There are tracking chips attached to his shirt," Granger said as he started up the engine. Through the rear-view mirror, Granger saw that Hetty and Kensi had pulled up behind them. He watched as Agent Fredericks got into the back of their SUV and then started off in pursuit of Callen and his captors.

xxxxx

Callen knew Russell, the creep, was sitting next to him in the back of the SUV even before the man spoke. He had noticed an unpleasant body odor coming from him outside, but it was much worse now in the close confines of the SUV. He tried to push himself against the door in an attempt to put more distance between them. It didn't work though and moments later, he felt a hand on his knee. "Get your hand off me," Callen growled as he felt a chill run down his spine and he shuddered inwardly.

"Don't be like that sweet pea," Russell whispered, removing his hand from Callen's knee and putting it on his thigh instead. "I would think you'd welcome a bit of kind human companionship before Jonathan finishes you off."

"I said not to touch me." Callen said, his voice breaking. He was on the verge of totally losing it. It had been a very bad couple of weeks and he was finally reaching the edge of the cliff as to just how much he could take. He was anxiously gnawing the inner part of his lip, but wasn't even aware of how hard he was doing it until he tasted the blood in his mouth.

"I don't suppose you'd allow me to have a half hour alone with him, Jonathan?" Russell asked. "I'd teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget."

Jonathan chuckled from the front seat. "I'm sorry Russell…just don't have the time. I don't want to chance anyone trying to rescue him. It's time to send Agent Callen into the fires of hell where he belongs."

"Pity," Russell said, letting his hand linger for another few moments before finally removing it.

Callen breathed a sigh of relief when Russell took his hand away and didn't put it back. He was repulsed even thinking of whatever the man had wanted to do to him and tried to put it out of his head. He needed to concentrate on where Page was going and what his plan was. "So…where are we headed now?" he asked, barely managing to keep his voice steady.

"You'll find out soon enough," Jonathan said.

"What's the big secret?"

"I like to surprise people," Jonathan replied. "It gives me great excitement. It's a nice, warm place. I believe you'll enjoy it very much."

"How about taking off the blindfold?" Callen asked. The combination of the handcuffs and blindfold were doing a job on his mental status, much more so than he liked to admit.

"Sorry, Agent Callen…this is a punishment, not a reward. The blindfold will not be removed, especially now that I realize just how uncomfortable you are with it."

Callen leaned his head back against the seat, feeling helpless. He knew he wasn't being tracked. Granger hadn't had a reason to do so. They had been sure he'd remain in the mine. He knew he was pretty much screwed. He just hoped whatever way Page planned for him to die, that it wouldn't be too torturous.

xxxxx

"What the hell is he doing to him, Deeks?" Sam asked. He wanted to rip out the throat of this scumbag. He could just hear the stress in G's voice and knew now they had made a very poor decision in allowing him to partake in this mission. He was almost as freaked out as he was sure his partner was. He so badly wished his partner was safe and sound back in the hospital. Even if G was pissed off at them, at least he wouldn't be going through this.

"I think he's just playing with him, Sam," Deeks said, but when he saw the appalled look on Sam's face, he hastened to add. "I mean mentally, not physically."

"I almost wish there wasn't a microphone," Sam muttered under his breath. Even though he wanted to know what was going on, he didn't like knowing that G was suffering and so far he was powerless to help him.

"Calm yourself, Mr. Hanna." Hetty's voice in Sam's earwig caused him to start slightly. He had forgotten she was monitoring them.

"Not that easy, Hetty," he said quietly.

"I know it's not, but your partner needs you to keep yourself together for a little bit longer," she said. "You don't want to let him down."

"No…no you're right…I can't let him down…"

xxxxx

The SUV stopped and Jonathan quickly got out and opened the door next to Callen in the back seat. "Come on, get out. Now!" he ordered as he roughly pulled on Callen's arm. "Russell, Robert and I will take care of this. You stay here with Alyssa. We won't be long."

"Where are we?" Callen asked, but just like before, his attempt to get answers was ignored. He was shoved along what felt like a concrete pathway and then he heard the sound of a door opening and found himself in a building which smelled very old and musty. He assumed it was abandoned. "What is this place?" He was desperately trying to get information to his team so they could find him, but Page wasn't cooperating. "Is it really going to hurt to tell me where we are?"

"Let's just call it 'The Real Callen's Tomb'," Page answered, ending with a high-pitched giggle.

With that, acting on instinct and not thinking it through, Callen made an ill-advised attempt to escape. He slammed his shoulder into Robert, who was holding him by the arm, and tried to run. In only seconds he was grabbed by Page who rammed him into a wall. "Oh you are a very foolish man, Agent Callen," he said. "You really thought you could get away when you're basically blind and helpless? You are very foolish, indeed." He roughly grabbed Callen and proceeded to propel him along. Callen's ribs were killing him and he felt breathless and somewhat woozy. He could only hope that he would pass out and maybe he would never even know how Page killed him.

xxxxx

Deeks knew he had to watch what was happening with Callen, but he was dismayed by what he was witnessing and wished he didn't have to see it. "Granger…I really think you need to speed it up…"

"What? Dammit Deeks, what's going on?" Sam asked the younger man who just shook his head, looking sick as he handed Sam the small monitor.

"Damn it to hell," Sam said as his eyes widened in horror when he saw what was to be his partner's fate.

xxxxx

"Would you care to have a seat?" Jonathan's voice was pleasant and almost syrupy sweet as he spoke.

"No."

"Take a seat, Agent Callen," Jonathan said, his voice cold and harsh as Callen continued to ignore him. Catching Callen totally unaware, he let loose with some punches to his abdomen and then pushed him onto a wooden chair. "There…was that really so difficult?"

Callen sat doubled over in pain, wishing like hell he wasn't so helpless. He hated Jonathan Page…hated him with a passion. He wanted to pound the smug man's face into a bloody pulp and then shoot him repeatedly until he was dead ten times over.

"And now…as fun as this has been, and trust me, it has been a ton of fun for me…it's time for us to part company."

Callen waited, barely breathing, with every muscle in his body tensed up in anticipation of whatever Page was going to do to him. Whatever it was…he knew it wouldn't be good…

"It's really too bad that you were rescued from the mine…I know you didn't like it there, but eventually, you likely would have just lost consciousness and slipped into an endless sleep…This…unfortunately for you, won't be as pleasant…"

"Just fucking do it already!" Callen yelled, unable to take any more of Page's threats and incessant babbling.

"Your wish is my command, Agent Callen." Jonathan struck a match and threw it onto some crumpled pieces of paper on the warehouse floor. "Now is the time for you to run." Page watched the look of shocked realization that came over Callen's face as the flames began to ignite, then began to laugh uproariously as he and Robert hurriedly made their way out of the warehouse.


	34. Chapter 34

Callen continued sitting on the chair, stunned, for a long moment, but the sound of the crackling flames jarred him out of his temporary stupor. He stood up and backed away a few feet from where he thought the fire was, then turned and began moving away from it, as quickly as he could in his condition. Already, the air was beginning to fill with smoke.

"I don't know if you guys can hear me," he said out loud, knowing even if his team didn't hear him now, they would listen to the recording later on, "but I'm in an abandoned building somewhere near the mine and Page set it on fire. I'm blindfolded, handcuffed and…and I really don't know if I'm going to make it out of here."

He started coughing and tried to take shallower breaths, but he knew he was still inhaling smoke. "Just…whatever happens, don't blame yourselves, especially you, partner…I got myself into this mess. This is no one's fault but my own…well actually its Page's fault, but I guess that goes without saying."

He hesitated and then, realizing it might be his last chance to say it, added one last thought. "I love you all."

xxxxx

Russell saw the oncoming headlights and turned to Alyssa. "I'm taking off, sweetheart. Tell your Uncle Jonathan it was real fun, but I'm not planning to go to jail for him." He then opened the door next to him and fled into the nearby woods on foot.

xxxxx

Granger parked his vehicle directly beside Page's SUV. He left the headlights on to help light up the surrounding area. The armed men then got out of the vehicle. Granger peered into the window of the other vehicle and saw Alyssa huddled against the seat, looking terrorized. He was about to open the door when Sam's voice stopped him. "Federal Agents! Get down on the ground!" He followed Sam's lead, aiming his gun at the two men who had exited the building.

Page and Robert did as Sam ordered, without any resistance, and were quickly immobilized by Atkins and Rollins as Sam turned to Granger. "I'm going in there."

Granger started to protest, but then realized that nothing would stop Sam from trying to rescue his partner. He nodded as he handed Sam a high-powered flashlight. "The fire department should be here any minute. Be careful…I don't think you have too long. If you don't find him fast, you need to get out of there before the whole place goes up. I know you want to save him, but think of your family, Sam." Sam nodded back at him, grabbed the GPS from the SUV and then ran towards the building. When he reached the door, he realized that he had company. "What are you doing, Deeks?" he asked, turning his head toward his teammate.

"Never go into a burning building alone," Deeks said with a grin, as he turned on the flashlight he was carrying.

"Thank you," Sam said, giving him a heartfelt look before the two made their way inside.

xxxxx

Hetty pulled up next to Granger's SUV and took in the surrounding area. Owen was standing guard over Page and his brother who were both sitting on the ground with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Page started to scream. "They're not going to find him! He's going to suffer and burn for all eternity! I hope the flesh melts off his body and he never gets any relief from the pain."

"Shut the hell up!" Granger shouted, already tired of the man's ramblings. "You're the one who's going to hell!"

"Owen…" Hetty gave him a grim look as she walked towards him.

"Sam and Deeks went in after him," he stated unnecessarily, knowing that Hetty was already aware of what had transpired.

Hetty turned towards Kensi who had come up behind her, but there were no words for the situation or for the look of dismay on Kensi's face. There was nothing they could do but wait and pray.

xxxxx

Callen felt like he was going around in circles until he bumped into a wall. Thankfully, he used it as a guide and began to painstakingly walk alongside it. At least now he could continue in one direction. He just hoped he chose the right way to go.

xxxxx

"It looks like he's over that way," Sam pointed off to the left, looking at the GPS, as he and Deeks moved rapidly through the warehouse.

"He's moving away from us," Deeks observed. "That's not good."

"At least he's moving though," Sam commented, not wanting to think of the alternative.

"True," Deeks said with a nod as both men started to move along faster. In any case, Callen definitely wasn't moving very quickly. "We'll catch up with him."

xxxxx

"God, Hetty…what if…" Kensi trailed off, shaking her head, obviously upset as she stared at the building. Flames were beginning to show through some high up windows over on the western side of the structure.

"We mustn't think the worst, Ms. Blye," Hetty said, squeezing Kensi's hand. "I firmly believe our team will get out of there safe and sound."

Kensi nodded, nervously nibbling her lip. Although she was trying to stay positive, she couldn't help but be afraid that she would never see Deeks or the others again.

xxxxx

"There he is!" Deeks pointed at the figure leaning against the wall, a short distance away from them. "Callen!"

"Smoke's getting thicker," Sam said, coughing into his sleeve, once again. He knew they were beginning to breathe in too much of it. "We need to get out of here."

The two men trotted towards Callen, calling his name, but he wasn't responding to their shouts.

"G!" Sam grabbed Callen's arm as they finally reached him.

The combination of pain, confusion, smoke and the blindfold had taken their toll and limited Callen's usual heightened sense of awareness. He panicked when Sam grabbed his arm. "Let me go!" he shouted, roughly pulling away and causing Sam's flashlight to clatter loudly to the floor.

"G, it's me, Sam. Calm down. We need to get you out of here."

"Sam?"

"Yeah, Sam. You haven't forgotten me already, have you?" he asked, smiling in spite of their situation. His fingers were working to loosen the tightly tied blindfold and finally he succeeded. "There you go."

"How…how did you guys find me?" Callen asked, squinting at them through the sudden light from the flashlights and the smoke which was making his eyes water.

"I hate to interrupt this heartwarming reunion," Deeks said, "but we really need to get out of here, now." So far they had been lucky that the fire wasn't moving all that rapidly but that could change in a heartbeat. If the flames caught up with them, there would be no escape.

"Deeks is right," said Sam, his eyes on his sluggish partner. If he wasn't cuffed, he could have leaned on them, but he was and they had no time to remove the handcuffs until they got outside. "Sorry, G, but we need to move quickly." He then picked up his partner.

"What the hell, Sam! Put me down. I can walk," Callen protested loudly.

"Not fast enough," Sam said as he and Deeks rushed through the building towards the exit.

xxxxx

Page totally lost it when he saw the men emerge from the burning building. "Bastards!" he screamed, his face flushed with rage. "You should have let him burn! You're going to regret it! All of you will regret it. They should have let you die, Callen! Now they're going to die instead. You won't know when it's coming, but it will come. I'll kill all of them, Callen, your whole team and then, when your friends are dead, I'll come for you too! I'll punish you in ways you never dreamed of. You're going to pay! You're all going to pay! I have lots and lots of money. I can make it happen. You know I can."

"Don't listen to him, G," Sam said as he put him down and released him from the handcuffs. "Empty threats from a trapped man…nothing we haven't heard before."

Callen nodded, but it was clear that Page was getting to him and he was noticeably rattled as a result of Page's rants.

xxxxx

Kensi's eyes filled with tears when she saw the three men come out of the building. Their faces were blackened with soot and they looked worn out, but even Callen was walking, once Sam put him down. Except for their coughing, they looked to be unharmed, as far as she could tell. She badly wanted to run to Deeks and throw her arms around him, but instead, she crutched a few steps toward him and waited for him to come to her. "Thank God, you're okay," she whispered as he took her into his arms and held her tightly. "You are okay, aren't you?"

He nodded and cleared his throat, his voice hoarse. "Yeah, I'm okay, baby. "

"And Callen?" she asked, turning her gaze to where Sam was leading his partner to be checked out by one of the firefighters who had just arrived moments ago.

Deeks shrugged. "I don't know…I'm sure he took in some smoke, which isn't good, but hopefully he'll be alright…"

Kensi nodded and stared down at the ground.

"Hey…Kensalina? You understand why I went in there, right?" he asked, his blue eyes revealing his concern. "I couldn't let Sam go in there alone…" He shook his head, not wanting to think about how badly this could have ended, not only for Callen, but for him and Sam as well.

"Of course I understand Deeks," she said, looking to reassure him. "It doesn't mean I wasn't scared though…for all of you."

"I know," he said as he gently kissed her. "But I'm okay…everything's fine now. At least we finally got that son of a bitch."

"Mr. Deeks?" Hetty approached them as they separated. "I'd like you to go see the firefighter who is checking out Mr. Callen, just to make sure everything is alright with you."

Deeks shook his head. "I don't really need…"

"Deeks…just do it," Kensi interrupted softly. "I know I'd feel better if you did. You obviously took in some smoke too."

"Okay," he said, smiling at Kensi before he kissed her once again. "Anything to put your mind at ease."

"Thank you," Kensi said, returning his smile.

xxxxx

Callen sat with an oxygen mask over his face as the firefighter checked out Sam and Deeks. Sam had also draped a blanket around him to guard him against the night chill. Every so often his gaze drifted to where Page and his brother were sitting under Granger's watchful eye. Page did not seem too upset at being caught, rather, he looked to be as smug as ever. Sometimes he would catch Callen watching him and would flash him a pompous smile. Callen was trying very hard to keep his emotions under wraps, but nothing was working and they were beginning to spiral out of his control. His heart was racing and he could feel his whole body trembling. Finally, he removed the oxygen mask, let the blanket drop to the ground and slowly walked over to the SUV. He casually looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to him and opened the passenger side door. He then reached into the glove compartment and pulled out the pistol he had put in there earlier. He checked to make sure it was loaded and determinedly began walking towards Page.

xxxxx

"Agent Callen…what do you think you're doing?" Granger asked, his tone conveying both authority and concern as he watched his agent approach Page with his pistol aimed directly at his chest.

As one, the members of the team turned their attention in Callen's direction when they heard Granger's voice. Sam immediately recognized that G was off…he was way off. The scene bore an eerie resemblance to when G had shot Marcel Janvier, except that had been staged and this was very real. He slowly began to walk towards his partner. "G? Come on buddy…you don't want to do this," he said gently.

Callen shook his head, appearing almost dazed. "Don…don't try to stop me, Sam," he whispered. "He wants to kill all of us. He…he has to be stopped. I…I'm not going to let him hurt anyone else…"

"Mr. Callen…" Hetty began, taking a step toward her agent.

"Hetty, don't," Sam said, shaking his head, not wanting anyone to spook his partner. "I've got this. "

"I was handcuffed and blindfolded…" Callen recited tremulously. "He trapped me in that mine…he tried to burn me up for no reason…I was just doing my job. His brother was a psychopathic killer and he is too…you can't do these things to people, Sam…he needs to be punished."

"He will be punished. We've got him, G. He can't hurt you now."

"You…you don't know that…" Callen's hands were noticeably shaking as he tried to keep the gun steady.

"Come on… You don't want to go to jail because of this scum, G… Don't throw your life away because of him," Sam pleaded. He was next to his partner now, but he didn't try to touch him. "G…Give me the gun, please?"

"It all goes back to him, Sam…Everything! Andy, the plane crash, Kensi and Deeks being hurt…it was all him!" Callen's voice broke and he shook his head, his eyes fixed solely on the object of his hatred. "He doesn't deserve to live. He needs to die. I…I want him dead."

"This is what he wants…if you do this, you won't have any kind of a life. Do you want to be in prison with people like him? We won't be able to work together anymore…come on, buddy…I don't know what I'll do if I don't have you for a partner. You're my best friend, G…please…"

Callen squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back tears, but a few escaped and trickled down his cheeks. After a few long moments of tense anticipation, he lowered his weapon. He then just stood there, looking lost, as Granger removed the gun from his grasp. Finally, he collapsed exhaustedly against Sam, burying his face into his partner's chest. Sam put one arm around his partner and gently stroked his head with his free hand. "Everything's going to be okay, G…" he murmured soothingly. "I promise you it will be okay."

"What a pussy!" Page said cackling loudly. "I don't know why you'd even want him as a partner. He's a total wuss."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stop talking right now," Granger said harshly.

Sam felt Callen's body tense up in his arms and he tried to lead him away. "Come on, G…you don't need to listen to this…"

Callen pulled back from his partner and he walked alone towards where the fire engines were parked. His head was lowered towards the ground and he didn't meet anyone's eyes. When he reached the first engine, he slumped back against it, looking utterly beaten and dejected.

Hetty walked over to Sam and spoke to him in a hushed tone. "We need to get him out of here, Mr. Hanna. Check with the firefighter to be sure it's safe for you to do so, then take him back to the hospital," Hetty said, sending a sorrowful look towards her broken boy. She didn't want to cause him further stress by having him transferred in an ambulance if he didn't need to be. He was better off just riding with his partner. She was inwardly cursing herself for having allowed this to happen. She had known it wasn't a good idea. Even Owen had known it was a bad idea, but she had allowed Callen to get his own way when he was sick and unable to make a rational decision. It had been up to her to put her foot down, but she had failed and now he was paying the price. She should have known better.


	35. Chapter 35

Sam glanced at his partner who was huddled against the door of the SUV, wrapped in the blanket which the firefighter insisted he take. Every so often he would have spells of shivering which Sam was pretending not to notice. They had been in the vehicle for a good 15 minutes and neither of them had uttered a word.

"You doing okay?" Sam finally asked, just wanting to break the silence.

"I'm fine."

'Well that was productive,' Sam thought as he sighed softly to himself. "Is there anywhere you want to go before I take you back to the hospital?"

"Where would we go at this time of night or morning or whatever the hell it is?" Callen asked.

Sam shrugged. "I don't know, G…just thought I'd ask. We could go to a convenience store and you could get junk food to your heart's content. We could stash it in the nightstand in your room. I wouldn't say a word about it."

"No thanks," Callen replied, but then after another long silence developed between the two men he reconsidered. "There is one place you could take me."

"Where?" Sam asked. "24-hour breakfast place?"

"You could take me home."

"Yeah right," Sam chuckled then looked at his partner who was staring back at him. "Wait…you're serious?"

Callen nodded. "Please, Sam? I don't want to be here anymore."

"I can't do that, G…you can't just leave, man… You're on medicines. You're nowhere near being recovered yet. Not to mention, it's like a 16 or 17 hour drive without stops. You're not up for that. I'm not really up for it either."

"Well you shouldn't have asked then," Callen said grumpily.

"Sorry, I didn't expect you would want to go for such an insanely long drive… It's a bit of an unreasonable request."

"We could spend the night at a hotel…sleep for a few hours, and then leave…"

"And not tell anyone? You know how worried they've been about you, G? How upset they would be if we pulled a stunt like that? You're not thinking clearly. You have sepsis…you need to be on antibiotics and you need to have your lungs checked out after being in that fire." Not to mention whatever PTSD issues Callen had going on which Sam was starting to believe were pretty serious. He was a far cry from his normal self.

"Fine, Sam, fine. I'll go back to the hospital. You can stop nagging me about it."

Sam didn't even know what to say to his partner whose emotions seemed to change by the second. He decided it was best just to go along with him and not make waves. "I'm sorry that I can't do what you want, G…You know I'd take you home if I could," he said quietly.

Callen sighed and turned his head to gaze out the passenger door window. "Yeah, Sam…I know you would," he said with a weary sigh. The minute he had asked Sam to take him home, he had known it was absurd, but he'd been unable to back down. Feeling both physically and mentally exhausted, he closed his eyes and was asleep almost immediately.

xxxxx

"Well, that was a ton of fun," Deeks said to Kensi. The two were seated in the back of Granger's rental. Granger was driving and Hetty was seated beside him in the front seat.

"I never saw Callen like that," Kensi said, shaking her head. "I actually thought he was going to shoot Page."

"Would it have been so bad if he did?" Deeks asked with a shrug. "Maybe it would have given him the closure that he needed."

"Yes, it would have been bad, Deeks," Kensi protested. "Do you want Callen to go to prison?"

Deeks shook his head. "Of course not, but do you really think that would have happened, Kensi? After everything that's gone down, what judge would have put him in prison? He could have easily pleaded temporary insanity and gotten off. Hell, I could have gotten him off."

Kensi leaned her head back against the seat with a soft sigh. "I still think that would have done more harm than good to his emotional state. He's a mess right now."

"Well, I guess we can agree to disagree then," Deeks said, sure that he was right. He really wished that Page hadn't allowed himself to be overcome so easily. It would have been much more satisfying if he'd attempted to escape or had raised a gun to them so they could have taken him down permanently. The son of a bitch didn't deserve to live.

xxxxx

Sam sat in the front seat of the parked SUV just listening to the soft breathing of his partner who was still fast asleep beside him. He really didn't want to wake him, especially because he never knew, from one moment to the next, what Callen's mood would be. Finally, he leaned over and gently shook Callen's shoulder. "Hey buddy…we're back at the hospital."

Callen tried to respond to his partner and open his eyes, but it seemed much easier to keep them closed. Sam was persistent though and shook his shoulder again.

"Come on G… Unless you want me to go get someone to transfer you in on a gurney or you want me to carry you, you need to wake up."

"I'm awake, Sam," Callen mumbled as he finally managed to force his eyes open. He shifted his body away from the door and back into a more normal seated position as he looked over at his partner.

"You doing okay?" Sam asked, forcing himself not to reach over and feel G's forehead, knowing it would just set him off.

"I'm good."

"Okay…I guess we should get in there then. Can you walk?"

"Yes, I can walk," Callen said. He opened the door and stepped outside. His body reacted almost immediately to the cold night air and he started to shiver. He hadn't realized how warm the inside of the car had been.

"Guess you really cranked the heat up in there," he said as they started to walk towards the entrance to the ER. "You think I can just go back up to my room?"

"Sorry, G…I'm pretty sure you need to get checked out first."

"I don't see why," Callen said. "We weren't gone that long."

Sam glanced at his partner and decided not to go into the whole smoke inhalation thing. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we get inside."

xxxxx

After Granger dropped them off at the hotel, Hetty went off to her room and Deeks and Kensi went to theirs. "Oh man, it's good to be back here." Deeks looked longingly at the sofa, but didn't want to sit on it with the strong smoke smell attached to him. "I'm going to take a shower," he stated.

Kensi nodded and smiled. "That's probably a good idea."

He tiredly returned her smile and headed into the bathroom to shower. The hot water pelting down on him from the massaging shower head felt incredibly good after the events of the night. He stayed in the shower for a good 20 minutes before he finally forced himself out, dried himself off and put on a pair of clean sweatpants.

"I thought you had drowned in there," Kensi said, watching Deeks as he came into the bedroom. She was lying in bed, against a mountain of pillows, looking extremely comfortable.

"I was just reaping the luxuries of the shower," Deeks said as he climbed into bed, under the crisp, cool sheets beside her. "This feels so good...I am so tired."

"I'm sure you are," Kensi said as she burrowed in closer to him and he put his arm around her. "It was a very long night, but at least Page is behind bars now where he belongs."

Deeks thought there were better places for him to be, like six feet under, but he kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to upset Kensi. "Let's get some sleep, baby," he said as he reached for the lamp on the nightstand by their bed and turned it off.

xxxxx

"Am I going to go to prison?" Alyssa asked tremulously.

The girl was obviously terrified and Granger couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "There's a lot of evidence to go over before any decisions on charges against you will be made," he said. "Agent Callen will also have a lot of input into the decision."

"I…I did try to help him. Not at first, but then I felt bad for him…he didn't deserve what my uncle did to him. I never really realized how crazy he was…I just didn't understand…" Alyssa's hands were clenched on the table and she kept nervously moving them, clenching and unclenching, seemingly unable to keep still.

"We understand that he coerced you into doing a lot of what you did…that will be taken into account. Also, any information you can give us against your uncle will be helpful."

Alyssa's eyes widened in fright as she looked at Granger. "You don't want me to testify against him in court, do you?" she asked. "I…I don't know that I could do that…"

"He threatened you, didn't he?" Granger asked. "All you're going to have to do is tell the truth."

She shook her head. "But…he'll be there listening? I don't know…he has people working for him everywhere…there's really no way to escape him…"

Granger sighed to himself, privately agreeing with Deeks' opinion that it would have been a hell of a lot easier if Page was dead.

xxxxx

They walked into the ER and Sam escorted Callen to a seat then proceeded over to the front desk to discuss the situation. He returned to Callen a couple minutes later. He could see that he looked flushed and knew he was running a fever. He shook his head as he inwardly wondered what any of them had been thinking to have allowed Callen to do this. "I need a shower," he said as he sat down next to his partner. They both positively reeked of smoke.

"You and me both," Callen said. "So…what did they say?"

"They're going to see if Dr. Hathaway is here and take it from there."

"Great…"

"You're the one who wanted to do this, G," Sam said. He was tired and irritable and unable to keep the words inside.

Callen glared at his partner. "Really not in the mood for a lecture right now."

"I'm not lecturing you."

"Fine, don't."

"I won't."

"Good."

Feeling a bit like a middle-schooler, trying to get the last word in against his worse for wear partner, Sam forced himself to remain quiet. "I'm going to go get some water," he said after a few moments of silence. He walked over to the vending machines and returned a couple of minutes later with two bottles, one of which he handed to Callen.

"Thank you," Callen said as he took the water from Sam. He immediately opened it and took a couple of long sips. The water felt very soothing as it trickled down his irritated throat. "That's really good."

Sam nodded and the two lapsed back into silence again. Finally, Sam decided to see if he could get his partner to open up at all about what had happened. "So, G…I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but…"

Callen quickly interrupted him. "You're right, Sam. I don't. I can't, not right now." Maybe not ever, he added to himself.

"You know you're going to have to talk at some point."

"Fine, at some point, but not now. I have a headache. I really don't want to discuss this, alright?"

Callen was obviously agitated and Sam quickly backed off. "Okay, calm down, G. I'm sorry. We don't have to discuss it right now."

"It's freezing in this place," Callen said as he closed his eyes and pulled the blanket more tightly around him. "Where's the stupid doctor anyway?"

"The stupid doctor is right here, Mr. Callen."

Callen looked abashed as he opened his eyes and he saw the grim-faced doctor standing in front of him There was an orderly beside him with a wheelchair. The flushing on Callen's cheeks deepened to an even redder color. "Sorry…" he mumbled.

"Please have a seat in the wheelchair. We're going to bring you to an examination room to be checked out and then send you for a chest x-ray."

Callen silently did as the doctor directed. He didn't really want to aggravate the man any more than he already was. Pissing off medical personnel was never a very good idea in his experience. They had too many means of torture at their disposal. He glanced at Sam who gave him a reassuring smile and then felt the wheelchair begin to move as he was pushed through the ER.


	36. Chapter 36

Callen underwent the doctor's examination and subsequent chest x-ray without a word unless he was asked a direct question. He was then brought back up to his room. He had somehow lost Sam along the way and decided to take advantage of the alone time to shower before anyone tried to stop him. He locked himself into the bathroom and quickly showered, feeling much better after he was clean. He then toweled himself dry and put on a fresh johnny and robe. After that, he went back into his room where, of course, Sam was waiting for him. Irritated by the situation and his headache, which was still persisting, he ignored his partner and silently climbed back onto the bed and got under the covers.

"Have a nice shower, G?" Sam asked with a neutral expression on his face.

Callen nodded. "I did. You should probably head back to your hotel and take one yourself. It makes a world of difference."

"I just want to hear what the doctor has to say, then I'll get out of your hair, if that's what you want," Sam stated. Callen was safe now. He didn't have to stay with him to protect him. They were obviously getting on each other's nerves. Maybe some time away from each other was what they both needed right now.

"Do what you want, Sam. You always do," Callen retorted.

"I could say the same about you," Sam commented.

They glared at each other and luckily, at that moment, Dr. Hathaway entered the room. "Am I interrupting something?" the doctor asked, looking at Sam and then at Callen.

Callen shook his head. "No…everything's fine. So, what did you find out?"

"Your chest x-ray looks clear. We'll take another one in 24 hours to make sure. Sometimes, any possible damage takes a day or two to show up."

Callen nodded as he forced himself not to roll his eyes. He wanted to protest what he thought was the doctor being very overly cautious, but he decided it was best to just go along with it.

"Not surprisingly, your temperature is elevated again, but that's what happens when you leave the hospital AMA and go running off into fires." Dr. Hathaway paused, but neither Sam nor Callen said a word. "I'm going to have them start another IV on you for your medicines and get some fluids into you as well. You're a little bit dehydrated."

"Thanks, doctor," Callen said.

Dr. Hathaway looked like he wanted to say something more, but after a few moments of silence he headed towards the door. "I'll be back to check on you in a few hours when I do my rounds."

Callen nodded and then, feeling very tired, he stretched out on the bed. "You should go, Sam," he murmured as he let his eyes close. "Go back to the hotel, shower and get some sleep…" Sam sat with his partner for a few more minutes, just watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. Satisfied that he was sleeping peacefully, he decided that Callen's words actually made a lot of sense and he decided to go back to the hotel to get some rest.

xxxxx

_Callen entered the room, immediately noting how eerie it was. There were cobwebs floating down from the ceiling and a cold chill in the air. He could feel his heartbeat speeding up as he noted the blanket covering what appeared to be a body in the middle of the room._

_"Agent Callen…it was good of you to come," Jonathan Page stepped out of the shadows and Callen had to fight his first urge which was to step away from the man._

_"What do you want, Page?" he asked._

_Page chortled diabolically. His eyes were practically glowing and he had almost a demonic look to him._

_"What do you want?" Callen repeated, fighting to stay calm._

_Page pointed to the bundle on the floor. "It's not what I want…it's what you have come to see…"_

_Callen unsuccessfully fought against the anxiety he could feel assaulting him._

_"Look at it," Page urged him, ghoulishly. "Do It!"_

_Callen swallowed hard as he approached the blanket, filled with an impending sense of doom. He then bent down and reached for it, his hand trembling as he pulled it up from the floor. Underneath the blanket, cold and still and very obviously dead, was Sam. There was so much blood. Callen couldn't even tell what the cause of death was._

_"No." He backed away as Page began laughing uproariously. This couldn't be true. Sam couldn't be dead. "He can't be dead…he can't be…" he shook his head, but even as he tried to deny it, he knew that it was true._

_"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Agent Callen," Page said, ominously. "Now, it will only get worse for you. I'm going to kill them all, your entire team. The eccentric little woman you work for, the guy that looks like a surfer dude, the pretty woman with the broken leg, unless I decide to keep her for myself, the computer geeks…all of them and it will be your fault because you could have killed me, but you didn't and now they will all pay."_

xxxxx

"No, no, no, no, no…!"

"He can't be dead, he can't be dead, he can't be dead…" Callen picked up the phone on the nightstand and dialed Sam's cell phone number. "Pick up, pick up, pick up…no, no, no, no, no…" Callen's whole body was shaking as he redialed Sam's number and once again began to chant "no, no, no, no, no…" This time, when there was no answer, in a fit of rage, he yanked the jack out of the phone and threw it across the room, almost hitting Granger, who had just entered, in the process.

xxxxx

"Good morning, Deeks," Sam said to his sleepy-sounding teammate as he answered the phone.

"Hey, what's up, Sam?" Deeks replied as he tried to gain some semblance of alertness.

"Damn…I woke you guys up, didn't I? I'm really sorry. I wasn't even thinking."

"We were awake," Deeks fibbed. "Is everything okay? How's Callen?"

"I'm actually here at the hotel," Sam answered. "He seems to be doing alright. We needed to take a break from each other."

Deeks nodded. "Well that's certainly understandable. Things have been so tense lately and you've been together constantly. You're bound to need a little bit of separation."

I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get some breakfast before I head back to the hospital?" Sam asked.

"Sure," Deeks mouthed the word breakfast to Kensi who nodded. "Where do you want to meet?"

"You know what's around here better than I do," Sam said. Pretty much the only breakfast place he had gone to was the one that sold the mouth-watering pastries.

"Well, ironically, there's a great little diner Kensi and I discovered one day, called Sam's Place. We picked it based on the name alone and it was really good."

"Of course it was," Sam said, smiling. "What time can you be ready? I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Half hour?" Deeks asked, looking at Kensi who nodded.

"Sounds good, see you guys soon."

xxxxx

"Problem, Agent Callen?" Granger asked as he bent down and picked up the phone off the floor.

"You don't belong here," Callen shouted. "Get out."

"There are other patients here. You might want to keep it down. You don't want to disturb them."

Granger couldn't help but notice that the younger man looked to be very upset and on the verge of tears. This was definitely not his field of expertise, but he was the only one here. He vaguely wondered where Sam had gone. The two were usually joined at the hip. "Come on, Callen. Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help."

Callen shook his head. "You can't help. No one can. I don't want you here, Granger. Get out or I'll kill you like I should have killed him!"

Now they were getting somewhere although Granger was more than a little bit disturbed by the threat and the totally inappropriate way Callen was acting. "Who should you have killed? Page?"

"I should kill you…" Callen said, his voice breaking. "You wouldn't let me kill him and now Sam's dead. It's because of you."

Granger's eyes widened in disbelief. "Callen…I don't know why you think that, but Sam is fine. Trust me on this, he's very much alive."

"You're a liar!" Callen yelled. "I know he's dead. I know Page is running around out there and that he killed him."

"That's not true."

"It is true! I saw his body. I saw the blood. I saw his dead eyes staring into nothingness. I know he's dead. Get the fuck out of here!"

At that moment, Dr. Hathaway slowly walked into the room. "What's going on?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.

Callen ignored the doctor so Granger answered. "He thinks Sam is dead."

"He is DEAD!"

Granger shook his head, speaking quietly to the doctor. "There's something very wrong with him. He doesn't act out like this. This isn't him at all. I think he may be having some kind of a breakdown."

"Whisper, whisper, whisper," Callen mocked. "Always with the secrets."

Dr. Hathaway nodded and lowered his voice further. I'm going to call for a psych consult. Are you okay with him for right now or do you want me to get a sitter? I can also have him restrained if you want."

Granger quickly shook his head. "No. That's not necessary. I'm going to try to track down Sam and get him over here."

Dr. Hathaway nodded. "Okay. Just buzz if you need help in here."

Granger nodded and pulled out his cell phone to call Sam. "Sam, its Granger. We have a bit of a situation here at the hospital. If you can come here as soon as you get this message, I'd appreciate it. It's important."

Callen scoffed when he heard Granger leaving the message. "Maybe you can give my mom and my sister a call while you're at it. I'd like to talk to some dead people today too. You should start your own new side business, Owen Granger's Hotline to Heaven…or Hell, depending on who your clients are speaking to."

Granger ignored Callen and picked up the phone again, this time dialing Hetty's number.

xxxxx

Hetty was sitting on the sofa in her room, having her morning cup of tea, when the telephone rang.

"Where the hell is Hanna?" Granger's voice came over the phone as she put it to her ear.

"Well, good morning to you too, Owen," Hetty said. "I'd assume that Sam is with Mr. Callen. Do you need him for something?"

"He's not with Callen. I'm with Callen who is under the impression that Sam is dead and he's not doing very well."

"Oh I see," Hetty said, looking concerned. "How bad is the situation?"

His doctor is getting him a psych consult if that tells you anything," Granger said.

Hetty sighed as she put her cup of tea on the coffee table and got up from the sofa. "I will see if Sam is in his room and I'll be there shortly."

"Thank you, Henrietta," Granger said.

"You're welcome," Hetty said as she clicked off the phone. She shook her head as she went to get her purse and a sweater. She hated that there was now another setback for Callen to overcome. She wondered if things were ever going to get better for her boy.

xxxxx

After Granger had spoken to Hetty, Callen had huddled under the covers and pulled them over his head, effectively blocking Granger from his sight. Feeling very out of his element in coping with the current situation, Granger didn't think he had ever been as happy to see Hetty as he did when she came through the door.

"Thank God you're here," he said to her. "You didn't reach Sam?"

Hetty shook her head grimly as her eyes traveled to her head agent who was buried under the blankets like a child.

"This is just fantastic," Granger said as he rubbed his temples. "I really thought when we caught Page things were going to get better."

"You didn't catch him," Callen said in a muffled voice from underneath the covers.

Granger rolled his eyes and looked at Hetty. "You think you can do something about this, Henrietta?"

Hetty sighed as she approached Callen and gently began to rub his back. "Mr. Callen…I assure you that Page is behind bars and Sam is perfectly alive and well. We just don't know where he is at the moment."

"I don't believe you."

"What if I get a picture sent of Page in custody?" Granger asked, grasping at straws. "Will that convince you?"

"No. I'm not stupid. It's perfectly simple for you to have Eric send a Photoshopped picture. I know all your little tricks."

Granger threw his arms up in the air and sighed loudly. "Where the hell is the psych consult?" he muttered.

"I don't need a psych consult."

"Like hell you don't."

Hetty shook her head. "Owen, is fighting with him really a productive use of your time?"

"What about Kensi and Deeks?" Granger asked Hetty. "Have you talked to them? Maybe they know where Sam is."

"No, I haven't talked to them. I assumed you had called them."

"Well, I haven't. I was dealing with this." A frustrated Granger waved his hand in the air over Callen's blanket covered body.

"I don't see that anger is going to help matters any," Hetty said.

"I'll call Deeks," Granger said. He very badly wanted to leave the room, but he was afraid to leave Hetty alone with Callen under the present circumstances. He didn't think his agent would hurt her, but he really wasn't sure.

xxxxx

"That was excellent," Sam smiled as he patted his very full stomach. "Sam's Place lives up to its name."

"This place really is good," Kensi agreed. "So, what do you have planned for today?"

"I'm going to bring G his breakfast." He nodded at the brown paper bag containing the breakfast special he had ordered for his partner. "Neither of us was in a very good mood when I left. Hopefully, this will help smooth things over."

"I'm sure it will, Sam," Kensi said. "It was a very long night and a lot happened. It's been a very bad last couple of weeks. Look at all the stress you've been under."

Sam nodded. He knew that Kensi was right and that his partner, especially, had been going through hell. He began to feel guilty for not having a bit more patience with him and for leaving him alone. "I should get back to the hospital."

Just then, Deeks' cell phone rang. "It's Granger," Deeks informed Kensi and Sam before clicking on his phone. "Hey Granger, what's up?"

"I don't suppose you've seen Hanna this morning, have you?" Granger asked.

"As a matter of fact, Kensi and I just finished having breakfast with him. He's right here."

"Put him on the phone!" Granger barked.

Deeks handed the phone over the table to Sam. "He's in a pissy mood," Deeks whispered.

"Hey Granger," Sam said after he took the phone from Deeks.

"I'm not going to get into a long explanation, but can you please come to the hospital now? Your partner thinks that you're dead and we can't convince him that you're not."

"He what?" Sam asked incredulously. "Well, let me talk to him."

"Just come here, Sam. I really think that's the only way he's going to believe you're alive."

"I'll be right there," said Sam as he clicked the phone off and handed it to Deeks. "G thinks I'm dead," he explained to his younger teammates as he stood up. "I've got to get to the hospital right away to convince him that I'm not."


	37. Chapter 37

Granger was waiting in the hallway outside of Callen's room when Sam arrived. "Granger, what happened?" Sam asked. "Why does G think I'm dead?"

Granger shook his head. "I don't know, Sam. I have no idea. I got here a while ago to check on him and he was unraveling. He threw a phone, insisted you were dead…maybe he was dreaming…I don't know…"

"I shouldn't have left him," Sam said, the guilt apparent on his face.

"Don't worry about that now, Sam," Granger said. "Just…he's in rough shape. Go let him know that you're okay."

Sam nodded and made his way into the room. Hetty gave him a trace of a smile. "There's someone here to see you, Mr. Callen," she said. "I think you're going to be very happy to see him."

"I don't want to see anyone," Callen said, his voice trembling as he spoke. "Make him go away."

Hetty got up and let Sam have her place beside Callen. "G? G…it's me, Sam."

Callen didn't respond. Sam looked at Hetty, unsure of what to do. "G…I'm going to take this blanket off you, okay?" When his partner didn't answer, Sam tentatively began to remove the blanket from over Callen's head. His face was buried in the pillow, but he didn't protest what Sam had done. "G?" Sam gently placed his hand on Callen's shoulder . "What's going on, buddy?"

Still nothing.

"G?"

"Go away," Callen said, his voice muted by the pillow.

"But…" Sam shook his head and looked at Hetty for guidance. She cautiously approached her agent. "Mr. Callen…Sam is here. He's alive…That's a good thing, isn't it?"

Callen slowly turned onto his side, in clear-cut pain from the movement. His face was wet from tears and his eyes were bloodshot. Looking bewildered, he stared back at Sam. "I…" he shook his head. "I saw your body…you're dead."

Sam smiled as he grabbed Callen's hand and held it tightly. "I'm not dead, partner. I'm right here. I'm alive."

"I don't understand. This makes no sense." Callen roughly pulled his hand from Sam's grasp.

Sam's smile faded quickly. This wasn't how he had expected things to go. "Somehow I thought you'd be a little happier to see me."

A knock sounded on the door and Dr. Hathaway entered, followed by another man, approximately in his early 60s. "How are you doing, Mr. Callen?" Dr. Hathaway asked, looking compassionately at his patient.

"I…I'm fine," Callen said as he lowered his eyes to the bed.

"This is Dr. Scanlon," Dr. Hathaway introduced the other doctor to Callen. "He's a psychiatrist on staff here." He then proceeded to introduce the others as well.

Dr. Scanlon greeted Granger, Hetty and Sam, then focused his attention on Callen. "It's good to meet you, Mr. Callen. I'd like to talk to you for a bit, if you don't mind."

"What if I do mind? I'm guessing I don't really have a choice in this," Callen said as he guardedly moved into a sitting position and crossed his arms across his chest. His eyes quickly swept over the room and he knew from the looks on Granger's and Hetty's faces that he didn't.

"Trust me, Mr. Callen," said Dr. Scanlon. "This will be relatively painless."

"I don't trust a lot of people, and the word relatively doesn't really inspire confidence," Callen said uneasily, "but I guess we should get this show on the road."

xxxxx

The room cleared out quickly, leaving Callen and Dr. Scanlon alone. "So…how are you doing with everything?" Dr. Scanlon asked. "A lot of bad things have happened to you in a short period of time."

"No big deal…"

"Really…" Dr. Scanlon said. "From my point of view, it would seem to be a very big deal."

Callen shrugged, saying nothing.

"So…how are you doing with your physical symptoms?"

"I'm good."

"Are you experiencing a lot of pain?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

"How about emotionally?"

"I'm not crazy," Callen snapped.

"I'm not a big fan of that word, but even if I was, I certainly wouldn't use it to describe you."

"I know what psych consults are," Callen said, glaring at the doctor. "I'm not stupid either."

"I didn't say you were stupid," Dr. Scanlon answered calmly. "That's another word I don't particularly like."

Callen sighed wearily. "Whatever."

The doctor decided to change the direction of the conversation. "I heard you caused a bit of a scene here earlier."

"I found out my partner was dead. He…he was my best friend." Callen said. "I was upset. I believe, understandably so."

"So you must be very happy now that you know he's alive," Dr. Scanlon said.

Callen shifted his position, but remained silent.

"Aren't you? Aren't you happy he's alive?"

"He's not…" Callen whispered, his eyes filling.

"He's not alive?" Dr. Scanlon questioned carefully, keeping his expression neutral.

Callen shook his head, looking sorrowful. "No…he's not alive…"

The doctor talked to Callen for about a half hour. Callen spoke as little as he could get away with. Some questions he would answer with a word or two and others he would avoid altogether. Dr. Scanlon finally decided to end the session, seeing that his patient was getting fatigued and he wasn't really getting anywhere with him anyway. "I'll be back to see you tomorrow," he said. "Do I have your permission to speak with your superiors about our sessions?"

Callen looked at Dr. Scanlon warily. "Why? So they can fire me?"

Dr. Scanlon quickly shook his head. "No, of course not. There's nothing I've learned here that would result in you losing your job."

"Fine…you can talk to them," Callen agreed with a soft sigh.

"And your partner?"

"What about my partner…He…he's dead…"

"If he was here though, would you allow me to talk to him about what we discussed?"

Callen nodded sadly. "Yes, of course. I trusted Sam with my life. He was my brother."

xxxxx

Dr. Scanlon left Callen and went out to the small waiting room where Hetty, Granger and Sam were waiting. There was no one else in the room so they would be able to speak confidentially. "How is he?" Sam asked when the doctor approached them.

"Well, I don't believe he poses a threat to himself or others."

"Of course he doesn't," Sam said. "Unless he needs to defend himself or others…then it's a whole different story."

"He still believes you're dead," Dr. Scanlon informed Sam.

"What?" Sam asked in disbelief then he slowly shook his head. "That can't be. He saw me…I talked with him…He knows I'm alive."

"No. Although he may have seen you, he still doesn't believe it."

Hetty and Granger exchanged a concerned look as Sam sighed heavily. "That's not good," Sam said.

"Has he ever exhibited symptoms like this before?" Dr. Scanlon asked.

Hetty shook her head. "Mr. Callen has always been extremely emotionally strong under the worst of circumstances. This is very much out of the norm for him."

Sam nodded in agreement. "I've worked with him for 10 years and I've never seen him act this way."

Dr. Scanlon nodded. "That pretty much confirms what I'm thinking. I believe he is suffering from what is termed as a brief psychotic disorder. It's short term with symptoms that can last anywhere from a few hours until a month at the most. It's usually caused by such things as extreme emotional stress, an accident, illness, traumatic event or the death of a loved one. From what I've read in his records, he has undergone extreme circumstances in a very short period of time, which would be a very likely trigger for what's happened to him. There can be a variety of symptoms falling under this umbrella, including being uncooperative, physical or verbal aggression, depressed mood, hallucinations, delusions, nightmares, disorientation, poor insight, among many others. Your friend is actually exhibiting fairly mild symptoms right now compared to what could be going on with him."

"He really hasn't been himself since he was abducted and left for dead in the mine," Sam said. "I don't think he believed he was going to get out of there alive. It really seemed to do a number on him."

Dr. Scanlon nodded. "That makes sense. It was likely very traumatic for him."

"So, how is this condition treated?" Hetty asked.

"Well, Dr. Hathaway and I have spoken at length and as Mr. Callen is still exhibiting symptoms from the sepsis, release from the hospital is not yet an option. We'll see how he does over the next few days. Hopefully, he's going to stay put, with no more field trips. He needs to rest, to eat, to regain his strength without any more drama or anything happening to him."

"I can assure you, he won't be going on any more field trips," Granger commented gruffly. "And the perpetrators are behind bars. They won't be bothering him."

"We'll make sure he's safe," said Hetty.

Dr. Scanlon continued. "Well, that's a definite plus. Drug therapy could be initiated, but I'm reluctant to start that right now, unless his symptoms are exacerbated or prolonged. I will continue to talk with him and suggest you do the same. In the long term, it may benefit him to have sessions with a licensed psychologist, but that's nothing we need to address at the moment." He turned to Sam. "I think it's extremely important for you, especially, to be there for him as much as you can. You seem to be very important to him."

"Of course," Sam said earnestly as he nodded. "He's important to me as well. I'll do whatever it takes to get G better."

Dr. Scanlon smiled. "I can see that he has a lot of support. That will be helpful."

"What if his symptoms persist beyond the one month mark?" Hetty asked.

"I'd prefer not to even think about that possibility at the moment," Dr. Scanlon said. "Better not to borrow trouble. Let's just take it day-by-day for the time being and cross other bridges if we get to them."

xxxxx

"Hey Sam…" Deeks greeted the agent who was sitting in the waiting area by Callen's room. "How's Callen doing?"

Sam shook his head, offering a faint smile to Kensi who leaned her crutches against a chair and sat down next to him. "He still thinks I'm dead."

Deeks and Kensi exchanged a glance. "You haven't talked to him yet?" Deeks asked.

"Oh I've talked to him," Sam said with a sigh.

"But…" Kensi began, looking perplexed.

"The doctor says he has some kind of psychotic disorder, supposedly temporary," Sam explained. "I just don't know. Hetty and Granger are in with him now. "

"So, you talked to him, but he still doesn't believe you're alive?" Deeks asked, still struggling to understand what he was being told.

"Yep."

"That doesn't make sense, Sam," Kensi said. "Did he just ignore you?"

"No. He talked to me, but the doctor said he still thinks I'm dead."

"Maybe the doctor got it wrong," Kensi said. "When Granger and Hetty come out, the three of us will go in there. We'll straighten Callen out."

"We can try," said Sam glumly, but he didn't look particularly optimistic.

Deeks sat next to Kensi and the three made idle small talk until Hetty and Granger came out of Callen's room a short while later.

"Hello Mr. Deeks, Ms. Blye," Hetty said, greeting the two junior team members. "How are the two of you doing today?"

"We're good, Hetty," Deeks replied. "How's Callen?"

"He's asleep right now," Hetty told them.

"Does he still think Sam is dead?" Kensi asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Granger said, joining in the conversation. "He seems rather adamant about it."

"I'm still not getting this," Deeks said. "It's absurd, especially for Callen of all people."

"Psychiatric disorders do not discriminate," Hetty said. "Mr. Callen has gone through a great deal and unfortunately, it has had a bigger effect on him than we could have imagined."

"Well, that sucks," Deeks said.

"Indeed it does, Mr. Deeks," remarked Hetty, unable to hold back a bit of a smile at Deeks' words, "but he has a very good support system. Hopefully, he will get through this."

"I'm going to go in there now," Sam said as he stood up. "I want to be there when he wakes up. Maybe it will help."

"Do you want me and Kensi to go with you, Sam?" Deeks asked.

"I don't know… I wonder if Its better for me to be alone with him at first…"

"Alright…we'll wait for you here. Just let us know when you want us to come in."

Sam nodded. "Thanks…I'll do that…"

xxxxx

While sitting by Callen's bedside, Sam began to research his partner's condition on Callen's laptop. He read the symptoms repeatedly, odd or uncharacteristic behavior, false ideas, hearing and seeing things that weren't real… At least Callen wasn't experiencing strange speech or language. Sam took heart when he read most people had a good outcome, but then began to experience doubt when he read about possible complications including violence and suicide. "You've got to get through this, partner," Sam whispered, looking at his friend with great concern.

Sam had been in Callen's room for about an hour when his partner began to stir. Sam unconsciously held his breath, making no move to talk to or touch Callen. Finally, his eyes opened and he stared at Sam, looking extremely unsettled. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it and continued to stare. After what seemed to be a very long time, but probably was only a couple of minutes, Sam could not keep silent any longer. "Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked.

"You…you're alive?" Callen asked tremulously.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief as he took Callen's hand and squeezed it firmly. "Yes, I'm alive, buddy. I'm right here."

"I…" Callen shook his head, looking extremely troubled. "But…"

"You must have been dreaming, G." Sam didn't want to mention the possibility that he might have been hallucinating. "I'm sure that it seemed very real to you. But, I'm alive and I'm okay. I promise you I am."

Callen's eyes began to tear up and he quickly squeezed them closed although a few tears managed to escape and trickle down his cheeks. "I…I believed it, Sam," he said as he opened his eyes again and focused them back on his partner, his breathing beginning to quicken. "I believed that you were dead…you…you looked so bad."

"Come on, G. Don't give in to this okay? Slow your breathing, calm yourself down. Everything's going to be okay. I promise you. It was not real."

Callen nodded as he focused on what Sam was saying and made a conscious effort to control his breathing. He then looked around for some water, but he didn't see any. "I'm really thirst. Can…can I have some water?" he asked as he licked his lips which were parched.

"Yeah…I'll be right back." Sam rushed out of the room to the vending machine where he got a bottle of water. He didn't want to waste time going to the kitchen to get a pitcher. He was afraid he would return to Callen's room only to have his partner refusing to believe he was alive once again.

Sam returned to Callen's bedside and was happy to see him sitting up and appearing more composed. He silently handed him the bottle of water. "Thanks," Callen said as he twisted off the cover and took a long sip.

"No problem."

"So…Callen began, his eyes zeroing in on Sam's, "that shrink never said what's wrong with me. Do you know?"

"G…I really don't think I should be talking to you about this." Sam didn't want to get into this with him, not when he seemed a little better.

"Tell me."

"You should talk to the doctor."

"You're afraid to tell me. I know something is wrong. I…I just don't feel like myself."

"I'm not afraid. There isn't anything to be afraid of. I just want to make sure you get correct information."

"So…this is how it ends," Callen said softly as he hung his head. "After all these years as an agent…it was Jonathan Page who caused my downfall."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. "This isn't your downfall. It's just temporary. You're going to be alright."

"No I'm not, Sam," Callen said despondently. "This shouldn't have gotten to me this way. I…I've never been mentally weak like this before. I'm supposed to be the team leader. I guess that'll be your job now."

"G…listen to me," Sam stated emphatically. "You are NOT weak. For God's sake, take a minute and think about all you've gone through. You got stabbed on a plane, then the plane crashed, your wound got infected, you got kidnapped from the hospital, beat up and left in a cave to die, developed sepsis, got punched around again, then trapped in a fire… You really think you should be able to just brush this off and go on with your life as if nothing happened?"

Callen shrugged.

"Well you can't. It's going to take time, but you're going to be alright, partner. We're all here for you. Trust me on this."

"Granger's going to fire me," Callen whispered. "He's been looking for an excuse for years…Now he finally has one…"

"That's just not true." Sam shook his head as he stared at his partner who was usually so self-assured and confident, now subdued and basically a shadow of his former self. "Let me help you, G…" he pleaded softly.

"Do you mind leaving me alone for a while, Sam?" Callen asked as he laid down on the bed and huddled on his side. "I'd just like to be alone…"

Sam looked at Callen, feeling helpless, not knowing how to cope with this partner who was nothing like the partner and best friend he had worked with for the last 10 years. "I'll leave you alone for now, G," he said as he got up and slowly began to walk towards the door. "But you're not getting rid of me that easily. I'll be back soon."


	38. Chapter 38

Sam walked slowly back to the waiting room, looking troubled. He had assumed that Deeks and Kensi would still be there, but he was a bit surprised that Hetty and Granger were still waiting, also.

"How is he, Mr. Hanna?" Hetty asked, giving Sam a concerned look. She could see by his expression that all was not well.

Sam shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Hetty," he admitted. "He does finally believe that I'm alive, at least, but…he's in a bad way. It's like he's lost all of his confidence…like he's given up…" Sam sighed as he sunk into a chair next to Deeks, but his eyes were on Granger. "Granger? You should go in and talk to him."

Granger gave Sam a baffled look. "Me? You've got to be kidding, Hanna. Of all the people in this room, I would be the least likely to do Agent Callen any good. Henrietta would definitely be a better choice."

"Actually, I beg to differ. I think you would be the ideal choice in this case," Sam said. "He's worried about his job. He thinks you want to fire him. You need to put his fears to rest. I think you could really help him."

Granger sighed heavily, looking very uncomfortable with what Sam wanted him to do.

"What harm can it do to try, Owen?" Hetty asked him.

"Alright," Granger said as he stood up and began walking out of the waiting room. "Just don't blame me if I make him worse instead of better."

xxxxx

Granger quietly entered Callen's room and settled himself into the chair closest to Callen's bed. Callen was buried under the blankets, but at least his head was visible which Granger took to be a somewhat positive sign. Callen's eyes were closed, but Granger was fairly certain he was not asleep. "Sam's pretty worried about you," he said after a few moments of silence.

Callen sighed as he opened his eyes and looked back at his superior. "Why are you here, Granger?" he asked. "You and I both know you don't want to be."

Granger ignored Callen's comment. "I realize we don't always see eye-to-eye," Granger began. "But I think we've pretty much moved past any of the difficulties we used to have, wouldn't you say?"

Callen slowly moved into a sitting position and pulled the blankets up over his chest as if they were providing a barrier between him and Granger. "I guess so, but…" he shook his head and became silent once again as he stared down at his lap.

"But what?" Granger prompted. "Sam says you're worried about your job…is that true?"

Callen didn't say anything, but the quick look he sent in Granger's direction more than confirmed that it was very true.

"You can't seriously believe I would fire you over this, do you?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well I wouldn't," Granger said. "You've gone through hell and back and understandably you're having a few problems recovering. It's certainly not a reason for you to lose your job."

"It's not?" Callen raised his head and met Granger's eyes.

"Of course it's not," Granger said. "I'd be a real asshole to fire you over something like this, not to mention that Henrietta would rip me a new one and I can only imagine what **_your team_** would do to me."

A slight smile touched the corners of Callen's lips when Granger emphasized the team as still being his.

"You're an exceptional agent and leader," Granger continued. "I'd be pretty stupid to get rid of you. Try not to worry about your job right now. Just concentrate on getting yourself better. Everything else will fall into place."

"Thanks, Granger," Callen said. He knew that there weren't any guarantees, but at least he was being given the chance to get himself together again. Hopefully, he would be able to do just that.

xxxxx

Granger stayed with Callen for about a half hour before excusing himself and retreating back out to the waiting area. "Okay, I did what you asked," he said to Sam. "He's not exactly turning cartwheels, but it might have helped a little bit. "Maybe you should go see him now," he said, nodding at Deeks. "He could probably use a little bit of mindless entertainment."

"I'm pretty sure there's an insult in there somewhere," Deeks said with a grin, "but I'm certainly willing to give it a shot." He turned his attention toward Kensi. "Are you game?"

"Of course," Kensi said, smiling as she reached for her crutches. "Maybe we can help cheer him up."

"You want to come with us, Sam?" Deeks asked.

Sam shook his head. "No, thanks. I think he's had about enough of me for the moment. You guys go ahead and see what you can do."

xxxxx

Callen had just nestled back under the covers to try to sleep, when Deeks and Kensi came into the room. He sighed quietly to himself, wondering if he was ever going to get a moment's peace.

"Hi Callen," Kensi said as she crutched over to a chair and eased herself into it. "We're not disturbing you, are we?"

"Hey, Kensi," Callen said as he got himself back up into a sitting position and forced a smile. "No…It's fine. How's it going?"

"We're good," Deeks said, entering into the conversation. "How are **_you_** doing?"

Callen wanted to say that he was upset, on edge and just plain exhausted, but instead he just took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I'm fine. I've just had enough of this place…I really wish I could get out of here." He firmly believed that the atmosphere of the hospital was making him feel worse than if he could just be home in his own house.

"I'm sure you do," Kensi said, taking his hand and squeezing it sympathetically. "You won't be here too much longer though."

Callen shook his head. "You don't know that, Kens…the doctors here think I'm nuts. Who knows how long they're going to want to keep me. Before I know it, they're going to be locking me up in the psych ward and throwing away the key."

"Come on…don't think like that, man," Deeks said, giving a worried look at their team leader. "You need to be thinking positively."

"Easier said than done," Callen admitted softly, his eyes appearing dull and lifeless.

"This just isn't right," Deeks whispered under his breath. He stared at Callen for a long moment and then got to his feet. "I'll be right back, guys, okay? Kensi nodded, giving him a curious look and Callen didn't really respond. Deeks then headed out of the room and back to the waiting area.

"That was a short visit," Sam commented. "Did he throw something at you?"

"I think it's time for us to go home," Deeks said, his eyes focused on Hetty.

Sam shook his head, looking a little bit annoyed. "No one's stopping you from going home, Deeks," he said. "Go ahead. But, I'm not leaving until my partner can go with me. He's gone through enough. I'm not going to just walk away and abandon him."

Hetty shook her head and spoke sternly, "Mr. Hanna…Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye have been here for quite some time now. I believe they have gone above and beyond for Mr. Callen, in spite of what they, themselves, have gone through. I see no reason why they shouldn't return to Los Angeles, nor should you be making them feel bad for wanting to do so. They do not deserve that."

Sam stared back at Hetty for a long moment and immediately began to feel guilty as he realized that she was right. "I'm sorry, Deeks," he said quietly. "Hetty's right…you've done a lot for G and for me. Of course you should go home if that's what you want to do."

"I'm not saying we should abandon Callen, Sam," Deeks said, shaking his head. "I would never do that. I just think getting him out of here might be just what he needs right now."

"You obviously have talents I wasn't aware of," Granger said dryly to the detective. "When and where did you receive your medical degree? And did you double major in both Medicine and Psychiatry? You're certainly wasting your talents here with us."

"Callen isn't in that bad shape physically," Deeks said, ignoring Granger's sarcasm and refusing to back down. "Maybe he could be transported back to Los Angeles? I'm sure he could handle a two and a half hour Medevac flight back to L.A., right?"

"Deeks could be right…" Sam said quietly as he allowed himself to mull over the merits of Deeks' idea. "G wanted me to drive him back home last night. He wasn't making a whole lot of sense, but, he seemed pretty adamant about it. Emotionally, maybe this is what he needs."

Deeks nodded. "I think he's reached his limit, Hetty. I know there are a lot of reasons behind what is wrong with him, but I also think him being stuck here could be having a having a major impact on his well being. I'm just saying, if it can be done safely, I don't think it would be a bad idea for us to get him the hell out of this hospital and out of Seattle. I really don't think we're doing him any favors by keeping him here. So much has happened to him and basically, all he can do is lie here and think about it constantly. It has to be depressing. I think a change of scenery could do him a world of good."

Hetty looked at Granger who just shrugged, making it obvious that he would leave any decisions about Callen up to her. "Perhaps you make a valid point, Mr. Deeks," she said after carefully considering what he had said. "I will call my personal physician and have him speak with Mr. Callen's treating physicians here. If they can all come to an agreement, that this will not impede his recovery in any way, we will see what can be done."

"Thank you, Hetty," Deeks said with a nod, pleased that the team seemed to be onboard with his idea.

Sam stood up, inwardly impressed with the thoughtfulness Deeks was displaying toward Callen. "Aiden is away at school so G could easily be set up in his room. I know Michelle wouldn't mind and maybe a little TLC is just what he needs, even if he'd never admit that. Michelle and Kam would take good care of him."

Hetty nodded. "Perhaps Nate would be able to come and see him. That could be helpful as well."

Sam looked at Hetty doubtfully. "I'm not sure about Nate, Hetty. I don't know if G could trust him after that whole JDX case."

"Well, if not, I'm sure we can get a referral for someone else to treat Mr. Callen, said Hetty. "Although TLC and a bit of coddling may very well be what he needs, it still doesn't erase the fact that he is dealing with some very real issues right now."

"Agreed," Sam responded with a nod. "But for now, I'm going to take care of his more immediate needs. I'm going to go out and get us something decent to have for lunch. He does need to eat more. I'll be back in a little while."

"I'll go with you, Sam," Granger said, eager to escape the hospital for a short time.

"I'm going to get back in there. They're going to be wondering what happened to me. Well, at least Kensi will be wondering. Callen probably doesn't really care all that much," Deeks admitted with a wry grin.

"And I have a phone call to make," Hetty said. "We will meet up in Mr. Callen's room for lunch when you return. Hopefully, I will have some news by then and we will see if Mr. Deeks' plan can be brought to fruition."


	39. Chapter 39

Sam and Granger quietly entered Callen's room. Both men were carrying large bags which they put down on the bedside table. Sam's eyes went to his partner who, Sam was disappointed to see, was once again asleep. "How long has he been sleeping?" he asked softly.

"Not long," Kensi answered. She and Deeks exchanged a look. The discouragement Sam was feeling was very much evident.

"Come on, man," Deeks said, trying to reassure the older agent. "Look at what he went through just hours ago. He has to be exhausted."

Sam sighed then nodded. "Yeah…yeah, you're right. I know that…I guess I'm just thinking of myself."

"I think you're just missing your partner, the way things usually are between the two of you" Kensi said. "Don't worry, Sam. You'll get that back."

"Yeah…yeah, I know," Sam said, not sounding particularly convinced. Such a lot had happened since they had flown in that damn plane a couple of weeks ago. He wondered if his partner would ever fully recover.

At that moment, Hetty walked into the room. She quickly took in each person's demeanor and could see that none of them looked particularly happy. "Did I miss something?" she asked.

"No, you didn't miss anything," Granger answered gruffly. "Did you speak to the doctors? What did they say?"

"I think that's a topic best visited after we have eaten and it is only fair that Mr. Callen be awake for the discussion," Hetty replied.

"I'll wake him," Sam said reluctantly. He just never knew what he was going to get with G from one minute to the other. "Hey, G?" He gently shook his partner's shoulder. "Come on, buddy. Time for lunch."

Callen slowly opened his eyes and sleepily looked up at his partner. "Hey, Sam," he said quietly and then his eyes scanned the room to find the whole team assembled with everyone looking at him. He felt his cheeks flush as he slowly sat up and wondered why none of them had anything better to do than to stand around and watch him sleep.

"We brought in some lunch, Agent Callen," Granger said, noting the younger man's discomfort and apparent wariness with the current situation. When he actually thought about it, he realized he didn't blame Callen one bit. If their positions were reversed, he wouldn't be particularly happy either.

"Yeah, G. We thought it would be nice to, you know, all eat together…" Sam said.

"Sure…that sounds good…" Callen forced a smile, determined to act as normally as he could.

"So what did you bring?" Deeks asked with unnatural cheeriness as he tried to ease the awkwardness but didn't succeed.

"One of the front desk people in the lobby recommended a good lunch place. We got an assortment of things; soups , sandwiches and salads," Sam said.

"Oh…that sounds good," Deeks said. "I'm going to go see if I can find some more chairs." There were only two in the room.

"I'll help you," Granger said quickly as he practically bolted out after Deeks.

"Guess people only want to hang in here when I'm sleeping," Callen quipped.

"That's not true, Callen," Kensi said. "We just don't have enough chairs for everybody."

"I know, Kens…" he said with a sigh. "I was just kidding…"

Kensi opened up one of the bags and began organizing the contents on the tray. "What do you feel like eating? There's grilled cheese, tuna salad, turkey club…"

"I'll take a grilled cheese," Callen said quietly, thanking Kensi after she handed it to him.

"Tomato soup would go well with that, G," Sam said, taking a container from the other bag and cautiously placing it in front of his partner, unsure how the gesture would be received.

"Thanks, Sam." Callen gave his partner a sincere smile.

Hetty remained quiet as she observed her team's leader. She really wondered what was going on inside his head and what the best way to help him was. She was distracted from watching Callen as Deeks and Granger came back into the room, carrying some metal folding chairs. The men allowed Hetty and Kensi to sit in the more comfortable reclining chairs as they occupied the others. Food was distributed and everyone ate quietly with some forced small talk being attempted at several points, but ultimately dying out into silence again. It was a far cry from the easy-going, lighthearted banter the team was used to.

Finally, the awkward meal came to an end and Hetty cleared her throat. "So, Mr. Callen, I have some news you may be interested to hear."

"Yeah?" Callen gave Hetty his attention although he had little hope that anything she had to say would be all that interesting to him.

"I have spoken with Dr. Bryant. I'm sure you remember him. He's treated you a few times in the past."

Callen nodded.

"He has spoken with Dr. Hathaway and they discussed your situation at length. They have come up with a plan, which, if you are in agreement, will result in you being released, perhaps as soon as tomorrow."

"I'll agree to anything they want," Callen said quickly, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of getting out of the hospital.

"I think you need to hear the terms before you agree," Hetty said.

"Whatever they are, they have to be better than being stuck in this place," Callen retorted.

"Well, first of all, you need to remain fever-free for at least 24 hours before this is even a consideration. I understand your temperature has been normal since this morning so we'll have to see if this continues."

"Okay," Callen said, realizing there wasn't a whole lot he could do about this condition. Hopefully, his temperature would not become elevated.

"If you are released, you will be transferred via Medevac back to Los Angeles and Sam will accompany you."

"I can't just fly back on a regular plane with the rest of you?" Callen asked, looking at her hopefully.

Hetty shook her head as she narrowed her eyes at him. "These conditions are not negotiable, Mr. Callen. If you don't agree to them, you can just stay in the hospital until Dr. Hathaway decides you should be released."

Callen sighed softly. "The Medevac is fine, Hetty," he said.

Hetty nodded. "The next condition is you will be staying either with me or with Mr. Hanna until it is determined that you are able to be on your own."

"Aw, Hetty," Callen protested. "I don't want to be making trouble for people. I'm perfectly capable of staying home and taking care of myself."

"Evidently, Mr. Callen does not understand the meaning of the term 'non-negotiable,' Mr. Deeks. Would you care to explain it to him?"

"Huh?" Deeks asked, caught off-guard and unwilling to get caught up in the debate between Hetty and Callen. "I really think Callen understands the term without my help, Hetty."

"Well then, I guess he has decided to just remain a patient here in Seattle for the time being."

Callen rolled his eyes. "Fine, Hetty. I'll stay with Sam." At least he would be able to breathe at Sam's house. He couldn't say the same about Hetty's home. God only knew what she would have in store for him if he was to stay there.

"If you are to stay at Mr. Hanna's house, you will be a willing and cooperative participant with whatever outpatient treatment plan is established for you. You will not give Sam or his family a hard time. If Dr. Bryant and I do not feel you are being fully cooperative with your treatment plan, you will be admitted into a suitable hospital until you are deemed fit and able to care for yourself."

"I'm not going to give people trouble," Callen grumbled. He resented being treated like a 2-year-old, but he knew that Hetty was very serious and would carry out her threats if he tried to cross her. He did not particularly want to find out what her idea of a suitable hospital was, suspecting it would not be a very pleasant situation for him.

"So you are in agreement with all of these conditions?" Hetty asked.

"I said I was, Hetty," Callen said, his anger flaring. "I'm here now doing what I'm supposed to be, aren't I? I could leave AMA if I really wanted to."

"And that would be a major error in judgement on your part," Hetty said. "I wouldn't even think about doing something like that…not if your job is important to you…"

"Come on, Hetty," Sam protested, defending his partner. "I thought we were doing this to help him, not upset him." He knew that threatening G's job would not bring about a good outcome.

"If you want to fire me, go ahead and fire me," Callen snapped back at Hetty. "You're treating me like a little kid with no common sense at all. It's not my fault all this shit has happened to me. You're acting like I brought it all on myself."

As Deeks listened to the tension-filled conversation taking place, he was beginning to wish he'd never come up with the idea for Callen to go home. He certainly hadn't expected it to go down like this. He'd wanted to help Callen, now he just felt sorry for him.

"Henrietta," Granger stated, a cautionary note in his voice. "Why don't we step out for a moment?"

Hetty stared at Callen who refused to meet her eyes, then nodded at Owen as he led her out of Callen's room.

"Are you okay, G?" Sam asked quietly, after Hetty and Granger were gone.

Callen nodded, but he was still obviously worked up. "What the hell, Sam…why did she even come up with this plan if all she was going to do was threaten me and spit out rules?"

"I think she's just really worried about you and got carried away," Sam said. "I don't think she meant for everything to come out the way it did. We're all a little on edge these days…"

"It's my fault, Callen," Deeks spoke up. "It was my idea for you to leave. I thought it would do you some good to get out of here. I didn't expect that to happen though."

Callen smirked as he began to calm down and actually give some thought to what had happened. "Thanks, Deeks," he said. "It's not your fault though… I don't know how you could have expected that, and… I did kind of go against every condition she threw at me…I guess we've all had more than we can take of this situation."

"Yes, we have, Mr. Callen," Hetty said as she stepped back into the room followed by Granger. "But that's no excuse for what took place. I should have been a bit more sensitive. I apologize."

Callen shook his head. "It's okay, Hetty. I'm sorry too. I guess I was being a bit difficult, as well."

"Let's just agree to put this all behind us," Granger said. "And perhaps we should give Agent Callen a bit of space as well? I'm sure he could use some rest."

Deeks and Kensi nodded and got up from their respective chairs. "We can come back here for dinner later," Kensi began tentatively. "Unless you'd rather we didn't?"

Callen nodded and gave her a smile. "It's fine if you come back here, later, Kens. I'd like you to."

"I'm going to go and make the arrangements for your tentative transport tomorrow," Hetty said. "I will keep you informed."

"Thank you, Hetty," Callen said. "I appreciate everything you're doing to get me out of here."

Hetty nodded and patted his hand gently before turning to leave the room.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," Granger said.

Callen nodded. "See ya, Granger."

Granger left the room and it was just Callen and Sam who were left. "So…I don't want to overstep, G…" Sam started cautiously. "You want me to just stay away until tomorrow?"

Callen shook his head. "You can stay if you want to, Sam," he said. "Of course, if you have stuff to do, you can leave, but I don't mind if you want to hang here for a while."

"I'd like to stay, G," Sam said, taking a seat on one of the reclining chairs.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel otherwise, Sam…" Callen sighed and absently began playing with the blanket. "I'm feeling…" He shrugged and shook his head. "I don't even know how to describe how I'm feeling these days…"

"It's going to take time, G," Sam said, "but you'll get back to your regular self. I know you will."

"I hope you're right," Callen said, "but…let's talk about something else. You must be happy that we're maybe going to get home. You'll get to see Michelle and Kam."

Sam smiled. "Yeah, I have to admit I miss them. It will be good to put some of this stuff in the past. For you too."

Callen nodded, not really looking like he believed Sam's words. "Yeah…it will be good…"

"G… Look at me." Sam took Callen's hand and squeezed it, gazing at his friend intently. "Things are going to get better. I promise you they are."

Callen nodded and forced a smile. "I believe you, Sam."

xxxxx

The rest of the day was spent basically watching t.v. and playing some card games with a deck Sam had bought at the hospital gift shop. Kensi and Deeks came back a few hours later with pizza and they had a nice dinner, much more easy-going than their lunch had been. After dinner, they chatted for a while and then Kensi and Deeks decided to head back to the hotel and Callen insisted Sam return there as well. "You should get a good night's rest in case we're going home tomorrow," he said, hoping with every fiber of his being that it was going to be true and they would be able to return to Los Angeles the following day.

xxxxx

Callen slept better than usual that night and awoke early then fidgeted nervously and watched t.v. as he waited for Dr. Hathaway to make his morning rounds. He felt pretty good, not feverish at all, but he knew that could be deceptive. Sometimes you could run a fever even when you didn't have an inkling that you had one. Finally, Dr. Hathaway arrived and performed a more thorough exam than usual which Callen sat patiently through. When the doctor finished, he remained silent as he jotted down some notes into Callen's chart while Callen watched him nervously. At last, the doctor looked at Callen and chuckled . "Stop looking so anxious, Mr. Callen," he said. "You need to calm yourself down and get yourself ready to head home."

Callen grinned, unable to believe it was true. "Really? I can leave?"

Dr. Hathaway nodded. "I just hope you'll follow my orders and those of Dr. Bryant. Sepsis is a tricky thing and you can easily relapse if you don't take care of yourself."

"I will," Callen said. "I promise. Thanks, Doc…thanks for everything."

"I'm going to go get your discharge papers ready. I'll be back in a bit."

Callen watched as the doctor left and then picked up the phone and dialed Sam's number. "Hey partner," he said, smiling as Sam answered on the other end of the line. "Get packed. We're finally going home."


	40. Chapter 40

"So, you ready to get out of this place?" Sam asked Callen as looked his partner over. Callen was sitting on the edge of his hospital bed, looking pale and wearing sweats which were practically hanging off him. He still had an IV attached to his arm.

Callen nodded and spoke quietly. "It will really be good to get home." Even if it wasn't his own home, Sam's house was the next best thing and a hell of a lot better than being in the hospital.

"I can't disagree with you there," Sam said with a grin. He had talked to his wife and daughter the previous night and they were both very happy that he and Callen were coming home. Kamran, especially, was over the top with excitement. Sam had cautioned his daughter that Callen was only just being released from the hospital and she couldn't give him one of the boisterous hugs she was prone to where she would throw herself into Callen's arms. That would only serve to cause pain for his partner who was still recovering from the stab wound and broken ribs.

Callen could see how happy Sam was and felt a pang of guilt, feeling that he was spoiling Sam's reunion with his family.

"I know that look, G," Sam said. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

Sam just stared at his partner until Callen finally spoke up. "I don't know, Sam…you haven't seen your family in weeks. I just don't think you need me hanging around…Maybe I should just stay with Hetty."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Really G? After that whole little showdown you had with her at the hospital yesterday, you're telling me you want to stay with her? You won't last a day."

Callen smirked. "I could last a day, Sam. You're forgetting I used to live with the woman."

"You were a kid. If you want to put up with her overseeing and managing every move you make, it's your choice, G. You know we want you to stay with us. You're family." Sam watched as his partner pondered the decision. He couldn't imagine he would choose to stay with Hetty over him. "Well?"

"I'll stay with you…if you're sure."

Sam shook his head. "You know better than to even ask that, G. Of course I'm sure."

"Thanks, Sam," Callen said softly.

"You're welcome." He looked at his own duffel bag which was packed and on the floor against the wall. "Now let's make sure you have all your stuff together so you're all ready to go when the transport team gets here."

xxxxx

"I still don't understand why all this fuss is necessary," Callen whispered to Sam. The MedFlight crew had arrived at the hospital and was now transporting him to the airport, where he and Sam would board the air ambulance, a private medical jet. "This is stupid. It must cost a fortune."

"For someone who said he wasn't going to kick up a fuss, you sure are complaining a lot, G," Sam commented. "It's not like you're going to have to pay for it."

"Well, it's a waste of whoever's money is paying for it," Callen remarked.

"If I were you, I'd just sit back and enjoy the ride," Sam said. "It's about all you can do."

Callen sighed, but didn't say anything else. He couldn't help but notice that Sam appeared to be somewhat tense and he didn't want to cause his partner any additional stress. Finally, they arrived at the airport where they were brought to the front of the security line and scanned privately by the TSA officials. A short time later, Callen was onboard the plane, strapped onto the gurney and attached to monitors to track his vital signs. He also was still receiving IV antibiotics. He had tried to get Dr. Hathaway to switch him over to oral medication, but the doctor had been adamant that he needed to stay on an IV for at least another two days. Sam was seat belted into a comfortable-appearing chair a couple of feet away from him and had a white-knuckled grasp on the armrests. "Sam?" Callen questioned quietly, but his partner didn't appear to hear him. "Hey, Sam?" Callen spoke again, louder this time.

"Yeah, G?" Sam finally responded to his partner and turned towards him. "You okay?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Callen said, giving his partner a concerned look. What's up?"

Sam shook his head. "There's nothing up, G."

"You could have fooled me," Callen said.

"We'll be taking off momentarily," Bonnie, the flight nurse said with a smile as she checked Callen's monitor settings. The two certified paramedics, Ryan and Glenn, who had transported him from the hospital to the airport, were also accompanying them. "Everything looks good here. Are you comfortable?"

Callen nodded. "I'm fine, thanks." He would be very happy when this whole transport fiasco was over with. He found the whole thing ludicrous and well beyond the scope of what he thought was necessary.

"Okay, I'm going to go buckle in for takeoff. I'm just a few feet away if you need me."

"Thank you," Callen said before turning his attention back to Sam, puzzled at the other man's uptight appearance, and then it dawned on him. The crash. He, himself, had no recollection of the plane going down, but Sam, Deeks and Kensi all did. He wasn't sure what to say or how to help him. "Everything's going to be okay, Sam," he finally said softly, hoping he didn't sound condescending.

Sam just nodded as the plane began moving along the runway. His eyes were closed and he was obviously deep in concentration so Callen decided to just leave him alone for the time being. After all, he knew all too well what it was like when people kept bugging you relentlessly when all you wanted was to have some time to yourself.

xxxxx

"Mr. Deeks…Ms. Blye… Are the two of you doing alright?" Hetty asked them.

Deeks found that he was very uncomfortable being on a small, private plane once again. He definitely would have felt better if they were on a large, commercial flight. He turned to Kensi who was clutching his hand tightly. "You okay, baby?" he asked her softly.

Kensi nodded at him. "We're good, Hetty," she said, forcing some semblance of a smile at the older woman.

"I could use a drink," Deeks admitted quietly to Kensi when Hetty's attention had been diverted to something Granger had said to her.

"It's still morning," Kensi said to him and then smiled, "But I actually could use one as well."

"I wonder if Callen and Sam are feeling like we are," Deeks mused.

Kensi shook her head. "I doubt Sam is and I don't even think Callen remembers what happened so probably not.

"Lucky them," Deeks said, feeling the muscles in his body tensing up as the plane left the runway and began rising up into the air.

xxxxx

It happened unexpectedly as the aircraft passed through a pocket of turbulence. The plane momentarily began to rattle and shake and Callen was suddenly assaulted by images, bringing him back to the cockpit before their plane had crashed.

_He regained consciousness right before Andy pulled the trigger. "Andy, no!" Callen gasped as his former friend dropped to the floor, dead. Shocked, he couldn't even process what had happened before he realized the plane was plummeting downwards. Warning sounds were coming from the control panel as he desperately tried to pull himself up into the co-pilot's seat to secure himself. However, he was much too weak and he helplessly slumped back onto the floor in a heap, right before the plane hit the ground._

"G!"

Callen's heart was pounding as finally became oriented back to the present day situation. He turned to look at his partner who was gazing at him worriedly. Bonnie was also at his side, observing him with concern in her eyes.

"I…" Callen could feel himself trembling all over and his heart was pounding. He made a concerted effort to get himself back under control.

"G? What happened?" Sam asked gently.

"Are you alright?" Bonnie asked him, as she checked his vital signs which were normalizing. When Callen nodded, she moved away to give him some space. "You know where I am if you need me."

"G?" Sam tried again.

"I…I'm okay, Sam," Callen said tremulously.

Sam shook his head. "That's not going to work. Come on…something's going on with you. You were off in a whole other world, and not a very pleasant one from the look of you."

"I…I remembered what happened…before the crash…I…I didn't think I was awake for it, but I guess I was."

"Damn…" Sam sighed heavily. He had really hoped that his friend had been spared that particular memory, that he'd been unconscious and oblivious to what had happened right before the crash.

"I…I couldn't stop Andy, Sam. I woke up just as he pulled the trigger…and the plane was already on its way down…"

"Don't even try to put any of this on yourself, G," Sam admonished gently. "You'd been stabbed and were bleeding heavily. There was nothing you possibly could have done to prevent what happened."

"I guess…" Callen responded, not looking particularly convinced.

"Don't guess, man," Sam said, shaking his head and gazing into Callen's eyes intently. "Believe it. You've already got too much to deal with, partner. Please don't add this onto everything else on your plate. You don't deserve it. Really, you don't." He rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. "Why don't you try to get some rest?"

"Okay," Callen nodded. He'd slept pretty well the night before, but even so, he still felt exhausted. He closed his eyes and dropped off to sleep almost immediately.

xxxxx

"I'm so glad to be back," Kensi said as she slowly crutched her way through the airport alongside Deeks.

"Me too," Deeks said, smiling. "I can hardly wait to get home and see Monty.

"I know." Kensi smiled at him. "I miss him too."

"I hope he's doing okay… We're not usually away from him for this long."

"I'm sure you would have heard if anything was wrong." Kensi said. "Tim always takes good care of him." Tim was a college student who lived a few houses away from them and took on dog walking and house sitting jobs to help him with the cost of school.

"I know. I just miss him."

"Well, we'll see him really soon," Kensi said with a smile. "He'll be very happy to see you."

xxxxx

"Wait. You're not going to transfer me on a gurney, are you?" Callen asked as the paramedics prepared to transport him from the plane.

Ryan and Glenn exchanged a look. "Well, it is protocol," said Ryan. "Our job is to provide bedside to bedside service."

"Come on guys, this is totally unnecessary. I'm not an invalid," Callen protested. He really did not want to arrive at Sam's house on a gurney. He would feel ridiculous. Not to mention, the impression he would give to Kamran if she was there when they arrived.

Sam kept quiet as he watched the exchange. He supposed that technically Callen was going against one of Hetty's rules of perfect patient protocol, but he really couldn't blame him for feeling the way he did. He privately shared Callen's view that the coddling was going a bit overboard. Treating him like he was a porcelain doll was only going to serve to aggravate his partner.

"Well…" Ryan said after a brief hesitation. "We could transfer you in a wheelchair, if you'd prefer."

"Yeah, fine, that works," Callen replied. It was far from ideal, but it was definitely better than the gurney.

"Okay then, let's get you ready to go," Ryan said as Glenn went to retrieve a wheelchair.

xxxxx

"So…you must be happy to have all your little chickadees back home in their nest," Granger said. He and Hetty were slowly trailing behind Kensi and Deeks as they made their way through the airport.

"Indeed I am, Owen," Hetty replied. "Now to just get them all back to full health, both physically and mentally."

"Well, three fourths isn't a bad percentage anyway," Granger said.

Hetty stopped in her tracks and stared up at Granger, her anger obvious. "You have so little confidence in him?" she asked.

Granger shrugged then shook his head. "I'm just being a realist, Henrietta. As I said, I'm willing to give him adequate time to recover. But, I've seen agents forced to leave their positions by lesser circumstances than these. We'll just have to see what happens."

"So whatever it was you said, when you spoke with him in the hospital, that was just lip service?"

"I did what Sam asked me to do. I have no intention of replacing Agent Callen…at least not now... In any case, we have Sam to take over the team leader duties temporarily, or permanently, if the need arises."

"And we both know you'd like it to be permanent, wouldn't you?" Although Owen never said it, Hetty strongly suspected he would prefer Sam as team leader over Callen.

"I didn't say that," Granger replied.

"But you don't deny it either. Well, Owen, I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your distance from Agent Callen. He doesn't need your negativity bringing him down."

"That's fine. I have a lot to catch up on and take care of regarding this case and many others. We can't just let everything go, you know. Playing nursemaid has never been my strong suit anyway. I'll leave that to you." Granger bore no ill will towards Callen, but he wasn't in the mood to fight with Hetty either. He would let her think what she wanted to. He knew, at times, she thought of Callen more like her child than the agent that he was and that just wasn't helpful right now.

"Yes, well I have things that need to be taken care of also. You're not the only one, Owen," Hetty retorted.

"I'm well aware of that."

Hetty glared at him and then stomped away in a huff to catch up with Kensi and Deeks who had moved on ahead of them. At least Callen had the loyalty of his team. She knew that they would have his back and support his recovery, even if Granger did not.

xxxxx

Callen sighed softly to himself as the ambulance hit a bump in the road. He'd be glad when they finally got to Sam's house. Although the flight hadn't been overly long, he still found that he was totally wiped out from the travel. It was a small price to pay though in that he had finally escaped the hospital and the constant surveillance of medical personnel. Of course, he knew that he could expect a certain amount of TLC from Sam's family, but hopefully, it wouldn't be too over the top. In any case, he hoped, that with good behavior, he would be able to return to his own home relatively soon.

"About five minutes, guys," Glenn, who was driving the ambulance, called out from the front seat.

Callen and Sam exchanged a smile. Finally, they were home.


	41. Chapter 41

"Hey, how about I sign some kind of a waiver for you to let me walk out of this thing on my own?" Callen asked Ryan, but his eyes were on Sam, who was getting ready to exit the ambulance. He half expected his partner to nix his request. "Seriously…my boss is much too overprotective. If you met her, you'd understand."

"Sorry," Ryan said. "Like I said before… Protocol."

Glenn looked at Callen sympathetically and then at Ryan. "I don't know, Ryan…maybe we could give the guy a break?" he asked.

Ryan looked at Sam who just shook his head. "Keep me out of it," Sam said.

Callen's eyes widened hopefully as he gave Ryan a pleading look. "Please?"

Ryan hesitated and then finally nodded slowly. "Go wait outside the ambulance, Glenn," he said to his partner. "We don't want Mr. Callen to face plant onto the ground, just in case things aren't as good with him as he thinks they are." Ryan then proceeded to gather up Callen's IV equipment. Callen's next dose of IV antibiotics wasn't due now until before bedtime. Both he and Sam had been instructed how to do it by the nurse at the hospital before discharge.

"Thank you," Callen said, smiling as he got to his feet.

Sam, seeing the expression on his friend's face, was glad the paramedics weren't pushing the whole wheelchair thing. He waited patiently as Callen slowly exited the ambulance and then followed behind him. "You good?" he asked Callen, but Callen never gave an answer because at that moment, the front door to Sam's house opened and Michelle and Kamran appeared.

"Daddy!" Kamran screamed as she ran down the front walkway and threw herself into Sam's arms. "I missed you so much."

"Oh I missed you too, baby girl," Sam said as he picked up his daughter and swung her around, clinging to her tightly.

"Sam," Michelle smiled at her husband as she walked over to the small group gathered in front of their house. Sam put down his daughter and reached for his wife who nestled against him as he took her into his arms and they kissed for the first time in what seemed like forever to the reunited couple.

"Hi, Uncle Callen." Kamran cautiously approached him and then very gently put her arms around him. "I'm very glad to see you. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good, Kam," Callen said, smiling down at her as he returned her embrace.

She looked up at him, appearing doubtful. "You've been in the hospital for a long time. I was worried."

"No need to worry, sweetheart," Callen said. "I'm better now."

"Uh, Mr. Callen?" Ryan said, interrupting them. "We do need to see you safely into the house, if you don't mind."

"Uh yeah, sure," Callen said.

Sam and Michelle separated and Michelle gave Callen a hurried hug. "I'm so glad you're doing better, Callen," she said, smiling at him. "Let's get you situated inside."

Callen walked into the house and did his best not to react to Ryan and Glenn accompanying him. He did breathe a sigh of relief when they were gone, however, and sank down gratefully onto an overstuffed chair in the living room, leaving the sofa free for Sam and his family.

"Callen, can I get you anything?" Michelle asked him.

"No, I'm good," he said, shaking his head.

"Well, just let me know if you need anything at all." She smiled as she sat down beside Sam and he put his arm around her. Kamran was on Sam's opposite side, cuddled next to her father.

"Thanks," Callen said softly, feeling very much like he didn't belong. It was like he'd been photoshopped into a family portrait. "Actually, uh, I'm kind of tired. Guess this trip affected me a little bit more than I expected." He forced a smile and looked at Michelle. "Maybe I can go rest for a bit?"

"Of course, let me get you settled in," Michelle said as she started to rise from the sofa.

"No, you don't have to do that." Callen quickly shook his head. "I'm staying in Aiden's room, right? I'm good."

"Are you sure?" she asked, looking very much like she wanted to assist him in some way.

"Positive," Callen said as he got up and started to walk from the living room. "I'll let you know if I need anything, okay?"

"Okay." Michelle nodded as Sam looked skeptically at his partner, but he decided not to call him on it. Maybe Callen needed a bit of time to himself or more likely, was giving Sam and his family some private time. Whatever it was, he decided to let him have his own way. He'd check back in with him at dinnertime.

xxxxx

Deeks could hear Monty's frantic whimpering as he put the key into the lock and turned it. As he walked through the door, the excited dog immediately jumped on him, then jumped down and scampered around them in circles. He seemed about to jump on Kensi, but then gave her crutches a wary look before he started circling them again.

"I guess somebody missed us," Kensi said laughing as Deeks squatted down and petted the animal.

"Hey Monty, hello boy," Deeks said happily, playfully ruffling the dog's fur with his hands. "Did you miss us, boy? Did you? We missed you too. Yes we did."

Kensi crutched her way over to the sofa and lowered herself down. Once she was seated, she called Monty. "Come here, Monty, come here, boy," she said and the dog ran over to her. "Good boy," Kensi cooed as she petted him. "We missed you so much."

"It is so good to be home," Deeks said as he sat down on the sofa next to Kensi, putting his arm around her. "Sometimes, you just don't realize how good things are until you're away from them or afraid you might never get them back."

"That's true," said Kensi as she leaned into Deeks and he tightened his hold on her. Monty then jumped up onto the sofa and rested his head on Deeks' thigh as Deeks began to stroke his head. She sighed contentedly. It really was good to be home.

xxxxx

"I'm going to go up to my room now," Kamran said. Michelle and Sam had started to talk about household topics and she was bored. She got up from the sofa and began to head out of the living room.

"You leave your Uncle Callen alone," Michelle said, stopping her daughter in her tracks. "He's resting. I don't want you to disturb him."

Kamran turned around and rolled her eyes at her mother, but it was evident from the look on her face that Michelle had read her intentions correctly. "I know that, **_Mother_** ," she said.

"You watch that tone," Michelle said then sighed as Kamran left the room.

"Trouble?" Sam asked his wife, giving her a worried look.

Michelle shook her head. "Nothing I can't handle. She's going to be a teenager soon. Pair that with the fact that you've been gone for weeks…" She sighed softly then looked up at Sam, a smile on her face. "I'm just so glad you're home."

"I'm sorry, baby," Sam said as he kissed the top of her head, guilt in his eyes. "So much was going on…I guess I wasn't really thinking of the affect my absence could be having on you and Kam. Maybe I should have come back sooner…"

"Sam Hanna, you stop that," Michelle admonished him. "You were right where you should have been, with your partner and team who needed you. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

"Thank you," Sam said. Michelle tilted her face towards him and he kissed her gently then deepened the kiss. "You have any idea how much I love you?" he asked.

"Oh I think I do," Michelle said, smiling coyly at him. "And just in case you've forgotten, I have every intention of showing you later on tonight."

"Can't wait," Sam said, grinning as he looked back at her adoringly.

They were quiet for a bit, just enjoying each other's company, then Sam spoke. "Was it too much?" he asked. "Bringing G here? He could have stayed at Hetty's, but…"

"Stop it, Sam," Michelle interrupted gently. "You know better. Of course you should have brought him here. He's not just your family. He's our family too. He just…" She shook her head sadly. "He looks lost, Sam, not to mention much too thin and pale. We'll get him feeling better."

"Thank you," Sam said, looking deep into her eyes before kissing her again. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

xxxxx

"So what do you want for dinner?" Deeks asked Kensi as he turned on the lamp in the living room which was now cloaked in darkness. He, Kensi and Monty had all been dozing periodically since they got home. "I can make omelets, if you'd like."

"Mmm…that sounds good, Deeks," Kensi said, "but I'm pretty sure whatever eggs we have in the refrigerator are just going to be heading for the trash."

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right," he said. "Fruit and salad stuff are probably heading there too."

"The bread will be stale…milk sour," Kensi said, giggling.

"Well…I'm not cleaning out that disgusting fridge tonight," Deeks said with a grin. "That can wait until tomorrow. I guess it's takeout for one more night."

"I guess so," Kensi said, covering her mouth as she yawned. "I can't believe how tired I am. I feel like a lazy slug."

"I feel like that too," Deeks admitted. "I guess it's only natural after all that has happened."

Kensi nodded agreeably. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I wonder if I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow," Deeks mused. "Hetty never said. I wonder if Sam's going in...though I can't imagine he is."

"Tomorrow's Friday," Kensi stated. "Besides, you can't go back until the NCIS doctor says you can. He's coming here tomorrow."

"What?" Deeks asked, looking at Kensi. "How come you know this and I don't?"

"I don't know, Deeks," Kensi said with a shrug. "You were right there when Hetty told us. I guess you weren't paying attention."

"I always pay attention," Deeks said, grinning. "In any case, I don't need the doctor to look at me."

"We all do," Kensi said. "Hetty didn't even tell Sam and Callen about it."

"I'm sure they'll be thrilled," Deeks said, leaning back tiredly against the sofa. "So, Thai?"

"Huh?" Kensi asked.

"You want Thai food for dinner? We haven't had that for a while."

Kensi nodded. "Sure, that sounds perfect."

"Thai it is then," Deeks said, searching through a folder of takeout menus. "Then tomorrow we'll get back to cooking again. It'll be good to just have something homemade and simple."

"You're right about that," Kensi said, closing her eyes as she listened to Deeks order their dinner over the phone. They could all use a little simplicity in their life for a change.

xxxxx

"G?" Sam called softly as he knocked on the door to Aiden's and now temporarily G's room. "You awake?"

"Come in, Sam," Callen replied.

Sam opened the door and saw his partner sitting on top of the still made bed, his back against the stack of pillows and what must have been one of Aiden's books beside him.

"Wow, G…I think Michelle might have given you every pillow in the house," he said teasingly.

"Did she?" Callen asked, immediately looking guilty. "I don't need all these pillows, Sam. Take some back. Take them all if you need them."

"Whoa…" Sam sat on the bed which creaked loudly under their combined weights. "I was just kidding, man…what's up with you?"

"I…uh nothing…" Callen stared down at the bed . "Everything's fine."

Sam gazed back at Callen sadly. He supposed he had thought bringing Callen home would be an instant cure for all that ailed him, but that obviously wasn't going to be the case. "Dinner is going to be ready soon…unless you want me to bring you up a plate?"

Callen shook his head. "No…I'll go downstairs, Sam. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Sam stood up and headed out of the room, turning to look at his partner before going out the door. "See you in a few."

xxxxx

"Did daddy show you the picture I made for you when you were sick, Uncle Callen?" Kamran asked, looking at Callen. "Did you like it?"

"Uh…" Callen looked back at Kam, not having a clue what she was talking about.

"Sorry, baby girl," Sam said contritely. "There was a lot going on. I totally forgot to show him the picture you made. I can get it now." He began fumbling in his pocket for his phone.

Kamran quickly shook her head. "That's okay. It's better this way. I can show him the real picture. I'll go get it."

"After dinner," Michelle said, resulting in another eye roll from her daughter, but Kam didn't say anything and resumed eating her meal.

Sam glanced at his partner and saw he was absorbed in eating and hadn't seemed to notice the brief moment of tension. He knew family drama was the last thing Callen needed. He would be having a talk with Kamran later in an attempt to nip it in the bud.

The meal continued on with some attempts at small talk, but it was mostly quiet. Callen seemed lost in his own little world and Kamran remained irked at her mother so she didn't say much. Michelle and Sam mostly just shared looks at each other. Everyone was glad when the meal came to its conclusion.

"Thanks, Michelle…that was really good," Callen said, patting his stomach after the last bite of hot homemade apple pie.

"I'm glad you liked it," Michelle said, smiling sincerely at him. "I need to fatten you up while you're here with us."

"Maybe Uncle Callen doesn't want to be fat," Kamran said with obvious attitude as she glared at her mother.

Callen looked at Kamran in surprise and then looked at Sam who shook his head. "I think you and I are going to have a little talk about respecting your mother, this evening," Sam said to Kamran who looked abashed at his words. "You know what she meant."

"Can I be excused?" Kamran asked.

"Clear the table first, please," Michelle said.

"Yes, **_mother_** ," Kamran said as she quickly began grabbing plates off the table and stomped off after she had gathered a stack of plates.

"Sorry about that, G," Sam said to his partner who just shrugged, but Sam could see he was uncomfortable with the situation.

"Its fine, Sam…"

Michelle looked at her husband. "I don't think you should make too big a deal of this, Sam," she said. "Kam's a pre-teen and mothers and daughters tend to clash during these years. I certainly did with my mother. I can handle it."

"Even so…I don't like it," Sam said. He looked at his wife with a trace of a smile on his face. "Don't worry. I'll go easy on her."

"Good." She turned to Callen, noting how tired he looked. "You feel like watching some t.v.?" she asked him.

Callen hesitated then shook his head. "No…I think I'm going to just head to bed early, if you don't mind…It's been a long day."

"Of course we don't mind," Michelle said. "You get some rest. There's an extra comforter on the top shelf, inside the closet, if you need it."

"Thank you," he said softly as he got up from the table. "Thanks to both of you, for everything…"

"Good night, G," Sam said. "Let me know if you need anything…anything at all, okay?"

Callen nodded. "Thanks, Sam." He then left the dining room and slowly trudged up the stairs to his room.

xxxxx

"So, did **_she_** chase Uncle Callen away after dinner?" Kamran asked Sam. The two were seated in what was basically used as a multi-function room. The main function was the family library. The walls were lined with bookshelves containing books of every kind, childhood books, cookbooks, novels and history books, just to name a few. There was a large antique desk and two leather chairs. Sometimes, Sam used it as a den or the kids would use it to study or read. Michelle would use it, from time to time, when she just needed a quiet place to go. Right now, Sam was using it because he wanted to make sure there was no chance of Callen overhearing their discussion. The room was relatively soundproof.

"Your Uncle Callen was tired, Kamran," Sam said. "He's been through a lot. What's up with this attitude of yours with your mom? I have to say, I don't like it."

Kamran sighed heavily, but didn't say anything.

"I'm waiting."

"She's always picking on me," Kamran said.

"I don't think that's true."

"Of course you're on her side."

"I'm not taking sides," Sam said. "I just want you to respect your mom. She's done a lot for you and she's had a hard time with me being gone also. It's not just you."

"I know," Kamran said, her head down, not meeting her father's eyes.

"And Kam…You know that your Uncle Callen had a very difficult childhood and some very bad things happened to him recently. I want him to feel comfortable in our home so he can rest and recover. I thought you would have wanted the same thing. But if not, I can have him go to Hetty's house instead."

"No, you can't do that," Kamran protested, finally meeting Sam's eyes, her own eyes brimming over with tears. "I want him to stay here with us."

"Well, I just might have to," Sam said, already inwardly beginning to melt at the sight of his daughter's tears. "I don't want him to be in a place that's going to make him feel bad. He's not going to get well that way. He's been through enough."

"I'm sorry. I want Uncle Callen to get well and be happy here too. I won't give mom a hard time anymore. I promise."

Sam reached for Kamran and she gladly went into his arms as he held her tightly. "Thank you, baby girl," he said.

"So daddy…what bad things happened to Uncle Callen?" Kamran asked when she finally pulled back from Sam's grasp.

Sam shook his head. "Nothing you want to hear about, sweetheart. Trust me on that."

"Really bad? Worse than the plane crash?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry as she gazed at her father.

Sam sighed, not really wanting to talk about any of this with his daughter. "It was all bad, Kam…let's just leave it at that…"

"Were you scared when you knew the plane was going to crash, daddy?" she persisted. "I would have been very scared."

"Yes, I was scared," Sam said honestly as he gazed into Kamran's eyes. "But I was mostly just sad that I might not ever get to see you, your brother or your mom again…that I couldn't say goodbye…tell you all how much I love you…"

Kamran threw her arms around Sam, crying once again as she buried her face into his chest. "We know you love us. I love you too, daddy," she said. "I just love you so much."

"I know you do, sweetheart," Sam said, his own eyes teary as he held her. "But don't worry…I'm home now and everything's going to be just fine…"


	42. Chapter 42

Once Hetty had entered her home, she found that she just couldn't seem to keep still. She tried to do some paperwork, but was unable to concentrate on it. She then began to wander from room-to-room, wondering how her team was, but not wanting to make a nuisance of herself by calling them. She had told Kensi and Deeks that the NCIS doctor would be paying them a visit tomorrow, but she had not mentioned she would be accompanying him to check up on her agents. She supposed that Deeks could technically make a case for refusing the exam, but she really hoped he wouldn't put up a fuss. She had to make sure all were fit for duty before allowing them to take on field work. She had also deliberately not informed Sam or Callen about the upcoming exams, assuming that neither would be particularly thrilled, although Callen had promised to behave himself. She decided to make herself a cup of tea and her thoughts went to Callen. She had to admit that she wished he had decided to stay with her, but realized it wouldn't have made a lot of sense. Leaving him with a household staff while she worked would not have been to his benefit. He was better off with Sam and his family. She knew that Michelle and Kamran would give him the kind of care he deserved and which he had lacked for a large part of his life. Hopefully, he would soon be well on the road to recovery.

xxxxx

Sam had just collapsed on the sofa next to his wife to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation when he put his hand over his face. "Damn," he said as he made a move to get back on his feet.

Michelle quickly grabbed her husband's hand, momentarily stopping him. "Where, exactly, do you think you're going?" she asked teasingly. "I'm not done with you yet. In fact, I haven't even started."

Sam chuckled as he looked down at her. "Don't worry, baby. I'll be back."

"Callen?" she asked softly as she released the grip on Sam's hand.

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "I'm sure you noticed the IV stuff the paramedics brought into the house?"

Michelle nodded.

"G is on IV antibiotics through tomorrow night. I just don't want to screw around with them and I'd bet money that he didn't even think about doing that before bedtime."

"I don't think I'll take that bet," Michelle said with a knowing smile. Callen had spent some time with them, both after the Venice Beach shooting and when he had been recovering from the Spiral virus. Each time had proved challenging when it had come to him taking medications and following doctor's orders. She expected no less this time around.

"It actually would be a lot easier for me to do it than for him to do it himself anyway," Sam admitted. "I should have thought of it. I won't be long." He looked down at Michelle with a warm smile before heading for the staircase. He walked upstairs and paused outside the door to Callen's room before knocking gently. "Hey G?" he called softly. "Can I come in?"

When there was no answer, he put his hand on the doorknob and edged the door open enough to poke his head in. He actually hadn't really believed his partner was as tired as he claimed and was surprised by what he saw. He pushed the door all the way open and stepped into the room. Callen was lying on his uninjured side, fast asleep, with one arm curled under his head and the other resting on his abdomen where some of his injuries were.

"Guess you are pretty wiped out, aren't you, buddy," Sam whispered, looking down at his friend fondly. He glanced over at the IV equipment and couldn't help but feel bad that he needed to disturb Callen's sleep. He gently shook his shoulder. "Hey G? Wake up."

"Sam?" Callen struggled to open his eyes then looked up at his partner blearily. "What's up?"

"Sorry to wake you. We forgot about your IV meds. I'm just going to get it set up and you can go back to sleep, okay?"

"I can do it," Callen murmured, but not very convincingly.

"I'm here now, G," Sam said, pulling sterile gloves onto his hands. "It's just as easy for me to do it. You've only got two more doses tomorrow and then it's onto oral antibiotics."

"That'll be good," Callen said. He then got himself into a sitting position, wincing slightly as he did so, which did not go unnoticed by Sam.

"You in much pain, G?" Sam asked as he hung the IV bag from the pole.

"No worse than usual," Callen replied.

"And how much is usual? You've got a whole bottle of pain meds you can take.  I can get you one."

"I know," Callen said. "I don't need to take them though."

"Why's that?" Sam asked. "You playing the tough guy?"

"No…" Callen shrugged. "I'm fine, Sam…I just really don't need them."

Sam gave his partner a long look. "Well, I can't force you to take them," he admitted. "I don't see the point of you being in pain, but it's your choice."

"Don't worry about it, big guy," Callen said with a smile. "I'm doing okay."

Sam nodded as he inspected the flow of the IV and was satisfied with it. "Alright. This seems to be flowing okay. I'll let you get back to sleep."

"Thanks, Sam," Callen said. "Good night."

"Good night, G." Sam headed for the door and turned back to his partner. "Hey, I was thinking, if you want, I can drive you home tomorrow. You can pick up some clothes and anything else you might need."

"Yeah?" Callen's eyes brightened as he looked at his partner. "That'd be good, Sam. Thanks."

"No problem…I'll see you in the morning. Get some sleep." He was about to reach for the light switch on the wall by the door, but then remembered the light had been on when he had entered the room. He had assumed that Callen had just fallen asleep before he had a chance to turn off the light, but now he wondered if that had been deliberate on his partner's part. He left the room and closed the door quietly, leaving the light on.

xxxxx

Callen had watched with bated breath when he saw Sam's hand going towards the light switch, but then Sam had hesitated and finally left the room without turning it off. Callen knew, without a doubt, that Sam had figured him out. He was glad he hadn't said anything. He couldn't even imagine what he thought about having an adult partner who was all of a sudden afraid of the dark. Deep inside though, he knew Sam wasn't thinking anything bad about him. He always seemed to have his back no matter what.

The darkness was one thing he really hadn't had to deal with in the hospital. He'd kept the light on and no one had really thought twice about it. It was different now though. It wasn't that he hadn't tried. Twice he had turned the light off and laid down on Aiden's bed. Twice, he had flashed back to being inside the mine and ended up shaking with his heart pounding. It didn't take a genius to know he was suffering from PTSD. He just couldn't understand it though. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before no matter what he had gone through. Jonathan Page would be positively gleeful if he knew the affect some of his little games were having on him. He really needed to make an effort to put what had happened behind him. He knew he could do it if he tried.

xxxxx

Kamran reached under her mattress and pulled out the leather-bound journal that she kept there. She then pulled out the key from under one of the throw rugs on her bedroom floor. She opened the journal to the next blank page and began to write.

_Today my dad finally came home with Uncle Callen. I can't believe how much I missed him. When he picked me up and held me, it was the best feeling in the world. I can't even imagine how awful it was to be in a plane crash. They are all so lucky that they're alive. It scares me so much to think how bad it might have been._

_So, like I said, Uncle Callen was with my dad. He is going to be staying here for a while. I don't think he is doing so good. He looks kinda sick and really thin. Mom said she wanted to fatten him up and I told her he might not want to get fat (I was being kind of a wise ass I guess) but she is right. He needs to eat some of her home cooking and he'll feel better._

_Daddy said I need to be more respectful to mom or Uncle Callen won't be able to stay with us so I'm going to have to try (It won't be easy.) I don't want him to have to leave though. Daddy said some bad things happened to Uncle Callen when they were gone, but he wouldn't say what. On one hand, I'd really like to know what happened, but on the other hand, maybe I don't. I hate the thought that someone hurt him. He's always so nice to me, but right now he just seems quiet and not like himself. I really hope he gets better soon. That's all for now._

Kamran closed the journal and carefully locked it, then put the journal and the key back in their proper hiding places. She then went to reach for the lamp on her bedside table to turn it off and try to sleep. However, at the last moment, she decided to get out of bed and put on her slippers before she quietly left her room. She walked down the hallway to her brother's room, trying to be as silent as she could. When she reached the door, she quietly opened it and went to Callen's bedside. He was asleep with the blankets all messed up, one of them halfway on the floor. Kamran picked up the blanket and gently put it over Callen then straightened out the covers before speaking softly. "I don't know how anyone could ever hurt you, but don't worry…we're going to take care of you and make you all better." She then gave him a tender kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Uncle Callen," she whispered before turning around and leaving as quietly as she had come.


	43. Chapter 43

 

Callen slept straight through the night and awoke feeling both surprised and pleased that he hadn't experienced any nightmares. That had to be a good sign. It had been quite some time since he had slept so well. Hospitals weren't exactly known for being especially restful with beeping monitors, intercom announcements and the all night hustle and bustle of hospital personnel busily working. He had just sat up when there was a knock on his door. "Come in," he called out. The door opened and Sam walked into the room. He was already dressed.

"Good morning, G," Sam said, smiling at his partner. "I thought maybe we should take care of your I.V. before breakfast."

Callen nodded. "Sure, thanks Sam. What time is it?"

"It's almost 9:30."

"Seriously? Wow…I didn't mean to sleep so late," Callen said.

"Why? Are you on a particular timeline for some reason?" Sam asked with a chuckle. "Sleep is the best thing for you, G."

"I guess so," Callen replied, "but even so…I don't usually sleep like that."

"Don't I know it, but I'd have to say it agrees with you because you're looking better than you have in a while," Sam said, pausing in his setup of the I.V. to observe his partner. He really did look well rested.

"I'm feeling pretty good today," Callen said.

"Well, don't push it, G," Sam said, a slight note of warning in his voice. "One good night's sleep doesn't mean you're cured."

Callen sighed, but didn't deny what Sam had said. "I know that, Sam," he finally said after a long silence.

Immediately, Sam felt bad as Callen seemed to deflate before his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I don't want to drag you down. I just…"

"It's alright," Callen said. "I get it, Sam…and I know I'm not cured. Slow and steady wins the race, right? For today, I'm just happy I woke up in your house instead of the hospital and I'm looking forward to going home, if even for just a short while."

"And Michelle is going to make homemade waffles for breakfast," Sam said, grinning.

"Yeah?" Callen smiled but then shook his head. "You know, Sam. I don't want her to be going to all this extra trouble on my account."

"It's not a big deal. And trust me. She wants to do it."

At that moment, both men were surprised by the sound of the doorbell ringing. "I wonder who that could be." Sam mused as he put the finishing touches on Callen's I.V.

Callen shrugged. "I don't know, Sam. It's your house."

A couple of moments later, there was a soft knock on the door and Michelle's voice sounded from the other side. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah baby, Callen's decent," Sam said, grinning at his partner who just shook his head, but was unable to hold back a smile.

"Sorry to disturb you," Michelle said as she opened the door. "Hetty is downstairs…with a doctor…"

"Really?" Callen asked, rolling his eyes. "Already? Couldn't she have waited even 24 hours?" He couldn't help but be aggravated by this turn of events. "For crying out loud, Sam."

"Come on, G…don't get upset. It's not a big deal. It'll be over before you know it."

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said as she walked into the room. "Because Dr. Taylor is going to examine you, as well."

"Me? Why?" Sam asked, quickly becoming annoyed. "I'm perfectly fine, Hetty. I don't need an exam."

"It's strictly protocol, Mr. Hanna," Hetty said. "After all that has happened, you need to be medically cleared to return to full duty."

"Fine," said Sam, although from his expression, it was apparent that he was as irritated by the whole thing as Callen was.

"Dr. Taylor?" Callen asked. "I thought you said Dr. Bryant was going to be treating me. Seriously, Hetty, how many doctors are there?"

"Well, you're going to have to be cleared by the NCIS physicians as well as Dr. Bryant, so I don't think it will do any harm for him to take a quick look at you while he's here. If it's a problem, Mr. Callen, I'll allow you to forego the examination today."

Callen looked at Hetty suspiciously. "No, its fine, Hetty," he said. "I'll let Dr. Taylor examine me. After all, what's one more exam at this point?"

"If it makes you feel any better, we're going to be paying a visit to Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks when we're done here," Hetty said, looking at Callen with a satisfied smile. She actually thought he appeared quite well today.

"Actually, it really doesn't make me feel better," said Callen. He looked at the I.V. in his arm and then at Sam. "I guess you should probably go first since I'm attached to this thing."

"Yeah, okay," said Sam. "I'll go down now and get it over with."

Michelle gave a sympathetic look to her reluctant husband as she followed him out of the room. Before she left, she turned back to Callen. "You'll get waffles when you're all through," she told him with a smile.

xxxxx

"So what's the verdict, Doc?" Sam asked. The examination had been quick and painless, just the way he liked it. He felt comfortable with Dr. Taylor, who was a tall, thin man in his mid to late 50s, with a friendly, unassuming manner about him. Sam had liked him immediately.

"Everything looks good, Sam," Dr. Taylor replied. "From a medical perspective, I'm going to sign you back into work a week from Monday."

Sam nodded and then realized what the doctor had said. "Wait, what? A week from Monday? But I'm perfectly fine. I can go back to work this coming Monday."

"No, Mr. Hanna, you cannot," Hetty said as she came down the stairs into the living room.

"This is your doing, Hetty?" Sam asked, shaking his head. "But why? I don't understand. There's nothing wrong with me."

"Call it a forced vacation. Call it whatever you wish, Sam, but you are not to return to work for a week. That's just the way it's going to be."

"Sam, is this really a bad thing?" Michelle asked her husband, placing her hand gently on his upper arm as she looked at him intently. "You've been away from us for weeks. I know I'd like for you to be home with me next week. I'm sure Kam would too."

Sam sighed then nodded as he met Michelle's eyes. "Yes…you're right. I guess I wasn't really thinking of that aspect of things," he admitted. "It'll be good to be home with you and Kam, and I can help you with our house guest if he gives you a hard time."

"I think he'd be more likely to give you a hard time than me, Sam," Michelle said with a teasing smile. "He's just as afraid of me as you are."

Sam smirked but didn't say anything.

"Why don't I show you where Mr. Callen is?" Hetty said to Dr. Taylor. The doctor nodded and followed Hetty upstairs.

"Poor G," Sam said shaking his head. "I think he was hoping to get at least one day free from medical personnel. I don't blame him for being sick of it."

"He'll be free of it soon enough, Sam," Michelle said. "But right now, I'm going to go start on the waffles. Then he can eat when the doctor is through with him."

"Thank you. He'll like that." Sam said as he followed her into the kitchen. "I'll keep you company and be your errand boy if you need help."

xxxxx

"You seem to be coming along well," Dr. Taylor said as he removed the blood pressure cuff from Callen's arm. Since Dr. Bryant will be treating you, I'll confer with him regularly to see where you're at. He's a colleague of mine so it should work out well. I basically just wanted to meet you today and get a better idea of what we're looking at."

Callen nodded, not wanting to tempt fate or the doctor into doing anything more than that. "Thank you…it was good to meet you."

"Good to meet you too." Dr. Taylor put his equipment back into his black bag and left the room with Callen trailing along behind him as they walked downstairs.

"That was fast," Hetty said, giving the two men a surprised look.

"I didn't see the point of an extensive exam seeing as he just got out of the hospital yesterday," Dr. Taylor said, with a smile. "I think Agent Callen has had about all he can stand of doctors for the time being."

"Hmm…" Hetty said, looking at Callen suspiciously.

"I didn't do anything, Hetty," Callen defended quickly before she could accuse him of any misdeeds.

Dr. Taylor chuckled. "He didn't, Hetty," he said. "He was a model patient."

"I see…" Hetty said. "Very well, we do have another visit to make so we should be on our way."

Just then, Sam came into the living room followed by Michelle. "Would you like to join us for breakfast?" Michelle asked, directing her gaze to where Hetty and the doctor stood.

"Oh, no thank you, Michelle," Hetty said. "We're going to be on our way. I hope you have a lovely weekend. Mr. Callen…" She gave a long look to her team leader. "Do take care of yourself."

"I will, Hetty," Callen said with a nod. He appeared tense until Hetty and the doctor were out the door and then he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Come on, G," Sam said, throwing his arm around his partner's shoulders. "Let's go have some breakfast."

xxxxx

"Good morning, Hetty," Deeks said with a welcoming smile as he opened the door and allowed her to enter his and Kensi's home.

"Good morning, Mr. Deeks." Hetty was carrying a box, with a Styrofoam tray holding two cups of coffee on top of it, which she handed off to Deeks. "Pastries from O'Sullivan's Bakery. I assumed that you and Ms. Blye might be a bit lacking in the food department."

"You assumed correctly," Deeks said with a grin. "This makes exams almost worth it. Thank you, Hetty. Please, have a seat."

Hetty nodded and made herself comfortable on the sofa.

"You're welcome. By the way, this is Dr. Taylor."

"Good to meet ya, I'm Marty Deeks." Deeks put the tray and bag down on the coffee table and extended his hand to the doctor who shook it. "So…I'm not used to doctors who make house calls. Where should we do this?"

"Do you have a bedroom we can use?" Dr. Taylor asked.

"Yes, this way," Deeks said as he led the doctor down the hall.

At that point, Kensi slowly made her way into the living room from the bathroom, her wet hair in a ponytail, having just showered. "Good morning, Hetty," she said.

"Good morning, Ms. Blye." Hetty said. "How is your ankle after yesterday's travels?"

"It feels pretty good," Kensi said as she lowered herself onto the sofa next to Hetty and put her crutches aside, then situated herself to face her superior. "How are you today?"

"Oh I'm fine, dear, just fine." Hetty smiled and patted Kensi's hand. "I brought you and Mr. Deeks some coffee and pastry. Why don't you eat something?"

"Well, I probably should wait until after the exam, shouldn't I?" Kensi asked.

"Oh I don't think there's any need for that. He's not going to be taking any blood. Go ahead, eat."

Kensi opened the pastry box and she looked appreciatively at the contents. "Oh Hetty, these look amazing." She passed the box to the operations manager.

"Thank you, but I've already had my breakfast, Miss Blye. Now eat."

Kensi pulled out an apple pastry from the box and sighed blissfully as she took a bite. "These are delicious, Hetty. Thank you so much for bringing them. Are you sure you don't want one?"

"Quite sure. Those are for you and Mr. Deeks to enjoy."

"We definitely will," said Kensi as she took another bite.

xxxxx

"I'd like you to make an appointment with a physical therapist so you can get some exercises to improve the strength and range of motion of your shoulder," Dr. Taylor said to Deeks as they walked back into the living room.

"But I can still return to work, right?" Deeks asked. "There's lots I can still do." Dr. Taylor looked at Hetty who spoke.

"None of you are returning to work until at least a week from Monday, Mr. Deeks," Hetty said. "Owen and I came to that decision together. We think, after your ordeal, some rest and relaxation is in order."

"Oh…okay then," Deeks said, not really against the idea of having a week off.

Dr. Taylor then looked at Kensi and gave her a piece of paper. "Here's the name of an orthopedic specialist I'd like you to see. He'll x-ray your ankle to check on the progress of its healing, and advise you on the proper steps to take. You should make an appointment with him as soon as possible."

"So you don't need to examine me?" Kensi asked.

Dr. Taylor smiled. "Well, I can take your vital signs if you'd like, but I don't really think it's necessary unless you want me to."

"No, that's fine with me," Kensi said, smiling back at the doctor.

"And now we will let you get on with the rest of your day," Hetty said as she stood up from the sofa.

"Are you going to see Callen and Sam now?" Deeks asked.

"We've already done that," Hetty replied.

"How's Callen doing?" Kensi asked.

"He appeared well rested and seemed to be doing quite well, actually," said Hetty. "I hope he continues to improve."

"That's good to hear," Kensi said with a pleased look.

Deeks walked Hetty and the doctor to the door then went back to the sofa and sat down beside Kensi. He then hungrily opened the pastry box. "I've been thinking of these ever since Hetty brought them through the door," he said, perusing the contents before pulling out a raspberry pastry.

"They really are good," Kensi said.

Deeks nodded as he chewed and swallowed his first bite of the flaky goodness. "Oh yeah, they are," he agreed enthusiastically.

"So, what should we do with our time off?" Kensi asked.

"I don't know." Deeks shrugged as he took another bite of the delicious pastry. "I'm sure we'll figure something out."

xxxxx

Callen and Sam's day went well. They visited Callen's home and Sam was surprised that his partner did not put up any fuss when it came to leaving again to return to Sam's house. He had quickly gathered up some of his clothes and laptop. Then, after clearing a few questionable items from the refrigerator, he had been ready to leave without complaint. Sam had offered to drive Callen anywhere he wanted to go, but Callen had declined and they had returned to the Hanna home. Callen had then decided to go upstairs for a nap.

"So…everything went well?" Michelle asked her husband as they sat in the living room together, waiting for Kam to return from school.

"Yeah…he's doing everything he's supposed to do without complaining," Sam said. "It's weird."

"Would you rather he gave you a hard time?" Michelle asked, laughing.

Sam smiled sheepishly at his wife. "No…it's not that…" He then just shook his head. "I don't know…never mind. I guess I'm being silly."

"I guess you are," Michelle said, resting her head on his shoulder as he put his arm around her. "Let's not worry about Callen unless he gives us a real reason to do so. After all, he's just doing what normal people do when they recover from bad situations."

"Yeah, you're right," Sam said out loud, but he still couldn't quite quell the nagging feeling inside of him that was telling him that something wasn't quite right with his partner. Hopefully, he was just being overprotective.

xxxxx

Callen slept for about 45 minutes before he awoke abruptly with his heart pounding and an ice cold sweat covering his body. He was pretty sure he'd had a nightmare, but he couldn't remember what it had been about. He just hoped he hadn't been screaming, but when Sam didn't come to his side, he was pretty sure he hadn't been. He got out of bed and got a new set of clothes, then, still feeling somewhat shaky went to take a hot shower to help him calm down.

xxxxx

Callen and Kamran were sitting in front of the television, both intently concentrating on the video game, on the screen. "You have to go fish in the pond now," Kamran directed Callen, who was currently holding the game controller as they played _the Book of Unwritten Tales 2_.

"It's almost time for dinner, you two," Michelle said with a smile as she came into the living room. "Who's winning?"

"We're not playing against each other," Kamran corrected. "We're working together."

"Well, why don't you go wash up now," Michelle said to her daughter. "You can play some more after dinner. Your homework is finished, right?"

"Yes, it's finished." Kamran successfully won the battle not to roll her eyes and paused the game. She then ran off to wash up for dinner.

Just as Kam headed out of the room, Sam came in through the front door, carrying a bag from Ben & Jerry's. "It's pouring out there," he said as he handed Michelle the bag and took off his thoroughly soaked jacket.

"Kind of glad I didn't go with you," Callen commented.

"Well, you are kind of a delicate flower, G," Sam said, grinning at his partner. "I wouldn't have wanted you to catch cold."

"You're hilarious, Sam," Callen said, smirking good-naturedly.

xxxxx

After a tasty dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with ice cream for dessert, the remainder of the evening was a pleasant one. Callen and Kamran resumed their game while Sam organized some old case files on his computer and Michelle sat quietly reading. When it was Kamran's bedtime, Callen decided to turn in as well and Sam and Michelle retired for the night a short time later.

At about 3:30 a.m., Kamran woke up to use the bathroom. As she headed back to her bedroom, she thought she heard her Uncle Callen calling out from his room. She opened his door quietly and peered inside to see him thrashing about on his bed.

"Let me go!" he cried out fretfully. The covers were twisted around him and he was struggling to free himself from whatever demons were attacking him in his dreams. "Someone help me, please."

Kamran hesitated, wondering if she should go get her father, but she then approached Callen cautiously. "Uncle Callen? It's okay…you're just having a bad dream…I'll help you." She drew closer to him and untangled some of the blankets only to get hit squarely in the face when Callen's fist flew out from under a blanket.

"Ow!" Kamran called out in distress and quickly backed away, almost falling in the process, just as Callen awoke.

Callen looked at Kamran in confusion. Her eyes were filled with tears and her hands were over her nose which was bleeding.

"Kam?"

"Don't…don't touch me," she said. "You…you stay away from me."

"Kam, honey…I…" Callen looked at the crying child and suddenly saw the face of every child who had been in bad foster homes with him…every child who had been hit or hurt or verbally assaulted in some way by one of the many monsters they had encountered in the system.

"You hurt me, Uncle Callen," she said, openly sobbing now. "How…how could you do that to me?" She then ran out of the room leaving him staring after her, sick to his stomach and utterly horrified by what he had done.


	44. Chapter 44

"Mom! Daddy!" Kamran ran into Sam and Michelle's room, hysterically crying, with her nose dripping blood. Her parents were immediately jarred, unceremoniously, from their sleep.

"Oh my God, Kam," Michelle stared at her daughter in shock as the girl climbed onto the bed and got between her mother and father. "What happened to you?"

Kamran continued to sob, not answering the question.

"Kamran, baby girl, talk to us," Sam said, watching as his wife went to his dresser and pulled out one of his t-shirts then balled it up and pressed it against their daughter's nose.

"Un…Un…Uncle Callen hit me," Kamran cried, barely able to get the words out.

"Callen did this to you?" Sam yelled angrily. He was about to get out of bed when Michelle grabbed him.

"Go downstairs and get the ice pack and a towel," Michelle said, her demeanor and voice calm as she spoke.

"But…"

"Now, Sam. Hurry."

Sam quickly left the bedroom, wanting to head for Callen's room, but realizing his daughter was more important, so he did as Michelle had requested. When he returned, a few minutes later, Michelle was holding their daughter in her arms, murmuring soft reassurances to her.

"Wrap the ice bag in the towel and hold it up over her nose. It will help keep the swelling down," Michelle told her husband and Sam did it and got onto the bed next to Kamran.

"It's going to be okay, baby girl," he murmured softly, glad to see that she had stopped crying and had calmed down quite a bit.

xxxxx

After Kamran had fled from his room, Callen couldn't stop thinking about the accusatory way she had looked at him. She had been in tears, in pain and very obviously afraid of him. He didn't even remember what he had done to her, but he knew it must have been terrible. His own breathing had increased dramatically and he couldn't seem to stop his body from shaking. After everything that Sam and his family had done for him, this was the way he had repaid them? He hated people who hurt children. He had always deemed it an unforgivable act and now he was one of the people who committed those acts. He was no different than the monsters he despised. He couldn't stay here anymore. He had to leave. He gathered what he could stuff into his backpack and just left the rest. He then crept downstairs, opened the front door and silently walked out into the dark, rainy night. He realized he hadn't brought his jacket, but it really didn't matter. Nothing really mattered anymore...

xxxxx

"Can you talk about what happened now?" Michelle asked Kamran. The bleeding had stopped and the injury really didn't look very bad at all. "Can you tell us why Uncle Callen hit you?"

"I'll go find out," Sam said, bristling. "I'll beat it out of him."

"Sam, stop it," Michelle scolded. "You're not helping. We need to know what happened from Kamran, not from you pummeling it out of Callen."

"There's no excuse for it, Michelle." Sam shook his head. "Of all the people to have done this…I can't believe he would do such a thing."

Michelle ignored him and turned her attention back to their daughter. "Kamran? What happened, sweetheart?"

"I…I…was walking in the hall and I heard Uncle Callen calling."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed. "He called you into his bedroom in the middle of the night?"

"No," Kamran said, shaking her head.

"Sam! Will you please calm down and let her talk?" Michelle demanded.

"Can't believe my so-called partner would hurt my little girl," Sam muttered.

"I opened the door and he was having a bad dream. He was yelling for someone to let him go and was crying out for help. He was all tangled up in the covers. I was going to go get you, daddy, to help him," Kam said, looking at Sam, "but then I decided to do it myself."

Michelle sighed softly, already knowing where this particular story was going.

"Then what?" Sam asked, wanting to hear every detail from his daughter's lips.

"I was trying to untangle him and then he hit me."

"Was he awake?" Sam asked.

Michelle shook her head. "Sam, stop. You know he wasn't awake. He would never knowingly hit our daughter."

"He did hit me, mom," Kamran said, her eyes beginning to well again. "He hurt me."

"He's not going to hurt you any more, sweetheart," Sam said, hugging his daughter. "I can promise you that."

"Are you going to go beat him up, daddy?" Kamran asked. "You would win really easy. You could beat him up real good. You're much bigger than him and you have big muscles. He'd be sorry then."

"Your father is not going to beat up, Uncle Callen," Michelle said. "I'm sure he's already very sorry for what happened."

"Don't count on that," Sam muttered under his breath and Michelle glared at him.

Kamran shook her head. "I'm not calling him Uncle Callen anymore. I don't want him to stay with us either. Can you make him leave?"

Michelle and Sam exchanged a long look. "We'll take care of it in the morning," Michelle said.

"Can I sleep in here with you and daddy? I'm afraid to sleep in my room. He might come and try to hurt me again."

"Yes, you can stay here, Kam," Michelle said, kissing her daughter's forehead. "You're safe, sweetheart. No one's going to hurt you anymore." She looked over at Sam who was obviously still very upset and angry. She spoke softly to him. "You need to check on him."

"I don't think that's a very good idea right now."

"Sam, please," Michelle looked at him pleadingly. "Think about his life, about what he's gone through. I know you're angry, but are you really going to just leave him alone in there? You have no idea what's going on in his head right now."

"I don't care," Sam stated, but his tone lacked any real conviction.

"I don't care either," Kamran echoed her father then stared at her mother suspiciously. "Are you on his side?"

"Of course not," Michelle said, looking hurt at the suggestion. "Your daddy and I are always on your side. It's just very complicated, sweetheart. Do you really think Un… Callen knew what he was doing when he hurt you?"

Kamran heaved a dramatic sigh. "You've always told me that no one is ever allowed to touch me if I don't want them to."

"That's true…No one is allowed to touch you…It's just…could this have been an accident, because he was having a nightmare?"

Kamran thought about the question then shrugged.

"Kamran, please. This is important.

"I don't know…but he still hurt me, even if it was an accident…"

"So it could have been an accident?"

"Maybe," Kam admitted. "But it's no excuse and I still don't want him here."

"Don't worry. If you don't want him here, we'll find somewhere else for him to go, Kam," Michelle reassured her daughter. Kam's sense of security was the most important thing here. If their daughter did not feel safe, Callen needed to leave. She looked at Sam again and silently mouthed the words, check on him.

Sam nodded. "Alright, I'll be right back." He left the room and walked down the hall at a snail's pace, making sure he was under control. With the mood he was in, he knew he could easily snap and if that happened, he could hurt Callen pretty badly. He doubted the other man would even try to defend himself. As angry as he was, he didn't want that to happen. He reached Aiden's room and knocked on the door, rolling his eyes when Callen didn't answer him. "I know you're not sleeping," Sam said loudly. Shaking his head in annoyance, he opened the door and walked into the room only to find it empty. "Damn it, G…Are you kidding me? What the hell have you done now?" He quickly looked over the rest of the house to ensure that Callen had indeed left, then went back upstairs. Michelle put her finger to her lips when Sam walked into the room and pointed at Kamran who was asleep.

"What did he say?" Michelle asked.

Sam shook his head. "He didn't say anything. He's gone."

"He's gone?" Michelle looked at Sam in dismay. "Oh no…that's not good."

"No…no it isn't."

"So, now what?"

Sam sighed as he walked over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of jeans and a clean Henley and proceeded to dress as he talked. "Now I'm going out in the middle of the night to look for my partner and I'm about to ruin Deeks' night too because I'm going to call him to see if he'll help me look."

"Maybe Callen called a taxi? Maybe he just went home."

"As far as I know, he doesn't have any money or any access to any. He doesn't even have a phone. All that stuff got lost in the plane crash and to my knowledge, he doesn't have replacements yet. Hetty gave new phones and credentials to Deeks, Kensi and me in Seattle, but G was in bad shape at the time and I don't remember her giving him anything, even after he started to improve."

"Well…maybe he just took a taxi to Hetty and got money from her when he got there?"

"Maybe…" Sam shook his head doubtfully. "If he was there though, Hetty would call and let us know." He didn't really want to call and wake Hetty in the middle of the night with this news. "I honestly don't know what he'll do…" He looked down at Kamran and then back at Michelle. "I have no idea what his mental state will be after something like this." He grabbed his cell phone from the nightstand and proceeded to dial Deeks' number.

xxxxx

The ringing of his cell phone jolted Deeks out of a sound sleep. "Damn," he said, fumbling to find his phone through half open eyes. Finally he grabbed it and looked at the Caller ID. "Sam," he said to Kensi who was awake beside him. "This can't be good." He clicked the phone on and held it up to his ear. "Hello?" He then listened to Sam's abbreviated version of all that had happened. "Sure I'll help you look for him. Which way are you going?" He nodded. "Okay, I'll leave soon. Sorry this happened, Sam."

"What's wrong?" Kensi asked, looking at Deeks apprehensively as he clicked off his phone.

Deeks turned to Kensi. "Long story short, Callen was having a nightmare. Kamran heard him calling out for help in his room. She went to try to help him and he hit her in the face. I guess her nose was bleeding and there was quite a scene. By the time Sam went to check on Callen, he was gone."

"Oh no… Poor Kamran…poor Callen," Kensi said sadly, her eyes full of sympathy.

Deeks nodded as he flung off the covers and went to grab some clothes. "Sam asked if I'd help try to find him. He doesn't think Callen has any money or even a phone. I don't think he'll get very far."

"He can steal a car if he wants to," Kensi said, playing devil's advocate.

"I doubt he's going to steal a car." Deeks then hesitated as he looked at Kensi searchingly. "Do you really think he'd do that?"

Kensi shrugged. "I don't know, probably not. Hopefully, he wouldn't. I'm just saying he could. He could pick pockets too."

"Are we talking about Callen or Oliver Twist?" Deeks asked, grinning at Kensi, but quickly turning serious again.. "I doubt he has the presence of mind right now to do much of anything, Kensi. He was having psychological issues before this happened. Not to mention, where would he find these people to pickpocket, at this hour, in a residential area? He could go rob a convenience store too, couldn't he? I would hope he's not going to embark on a life of crime because of an accident. He's probably just roaming around out there." He finished dressing and grabbed for his phone then stuffed it into his jacket pocket. "I'll keep you posted." He then gave Kensi a quick kiss before heading towards the doorway of their bedroom.

"Good luck, Deeks," Kensi said.

He turned and gave her a smile. "Thanks…Hopefully, we'll find him soon."


	45. Chapter 45

_I've been updating much quicker than usual this week because my job has been slow, but I think the fast updates will be ending now although I will try to update on Sunday as usual._

_On another note, I was so saddened to hear about the passing of Miguel Ferrer today. He really brought the character of Owen Granger to life and I'm sure will be missed by many of us. May he rest in peace_ :(

xxxxx

Callen was shivering as he walked, but he barely even noticed. Nor was he paying any attention at all to his surroundings or which direction he was going. His thoughts were focused on only one thing. How could he have beaten Sam and Michelle's daughter? He had absolutely no recollection of what had happened which concerned him even more. Maybe he truly was crazy. For him to have hurt a child and not remember it was really bad. He had no idea what circumstances could have led to such a thing. Had she done some tiny little thing to irk him and he had just lost control of himself? Or had she done nothing at all? That often was the case with people who abused children. They didn't need a reason to do the things they did. It had been the case for him and many of his peers growing up in some of the awful places they had been placed in. There had been plenty of times when he was innocently watching television, playing, reading or doing nothing at all, when he had been grabbed and beaten for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Those had been horrible times and now he had inflicted that same thing on an innocent child…Sam's child… It was said that many victims of child abuse grew up to abuse children themselves. Now, he, himself was one of those statistics.

xxxxx

Sam sighed as steered his Challenger onto yet another street, his eyes scanning the area, but he could see no sign of his partner. Now that he was out of the house, he had calmed down considerably and was really starting to worry about Callen. He just wished that Kamran had come and gotten him instead of trying to handle his nightmare on her own. Now the whole thing was just one big mess. He could not, in good conscience, have Callen stay in their home if their daughter was afraid of him. His child's safety and wellbeing was his first priority. However, he could not help but think of the affect this could have on Callen. Sam, his wife and children were the closest thing Callen had to a family besides Hetty. He already had abandonment issues. If they were to turn their backs on him, he knew the outcome would not be a good one.

xxxxx

Deeks turned down his windshield wipers to the lowest speed as the rain had dwindled to just a light drizzle. At least that was one good thing, although Callen was likely already soaked, unless he had found somewhere to take shelter. He couldn't help but wonder if their team leader was ever going to get a break. Whenever it looked like things might be working out for him, something else always happened to knock him back down again. He couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. He had seen a couple of people out and about since he started searching, but none were walking with Callen's familiar gait. Finally, just as he was about to call Sam to brainstorm about where to search next, he spotted him. He pulled his car up ahead of Callen and parked it, then got out and leaned against the vehicle, waiting and hoping the other man wasn't going to run.

Deeks watched as Callen got closer and then proceeded to walk right by him, without a sign of recognition on his face. "Callen?" he finally called out, stopping the other man in his tracks.

"Deeks." Callen turned back and looked at him, obviously confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you." Deeks approached him cautiously, not wanting to spook him. As he drew closer, he noted he was shivering. "You shouldn't be out here Callen. You're cold. Come into the car and get warm."

"Why?"

"Why?" Deeks asked, puzzled. "Because you're cold and wet. You don't want to end up sick, do you?"

Callen shrugged. "I don't really see that it matters one way or the other."

"Okay…maybe it doesn't matter to you, but it matters to me." Deeks shook his head, frustrated. "Come on…please?" He gently put his hand on Callen's back in an attempt to guide him to the car.

Callen did as Deeks wanted, not really up to any displays of resistance. Before he got into the car, Deeks took off his jacket and draped it over Callen when he got inside.

"I don't need this, Deeks," Callen protested.

"Just take it, Callen," Deeks said. "You're shivering." He turned the heat up to the warmest setting and pulled out his cell phone, then pressed the button with Sam's number. "I've got him. Yeah…he's cold, but hopefully getting some sleep in a nice, warm bed will help. I'm going to take him back to our place. We'll talk in a few hours. Okay, bye."

Assuming that Deeks had been speaking with Hetty, Callen paid no attention to the phone call. "You can just drop me off at my house," Callen said, glancing over at the younger man.

"Sorry, no can do, Callen," Deeks said. "For right now, you're coming home with me. In a few hours, if you don't want to stay with us, we'll discuss other possibilities, but it's too late…or early right now to do anything except get you warmed up and into bed."

Callen sighed, but didn't say anything more. He would never admit it, but he was actually glad that Deeks had tracked him down. He had needed to be out of Sam's house, but he was honestly just too weak and exhausted to be walking around outside for much longer. He was too far off his game. He wondered if he would ever start to feel better. He was still a long way from his usual self, both physically and mentally, and now he had destroyed the most important relationship in his life. He felt like everything had been in a constant state of turmoil ever since the day they had stepped onto that plane. He questioned if things were ever going to be okay again. It sure didn't feel like they would be. But then again, after what he had done, he really didn't deserve for things to be okay anyway.

xxxxx

"Callen." Kensi hugged him as he came in through the front door, followed by Deeks. "I was so worried about you. You're soaking wet. Do you want to take a shower? I put clean towels in the bathroom. Do you need clothes? I'm sure Deeks has something you can wear."

Callen stared at Kensi as the words poured from her mouth at a rapid fire rate. "I have some clothes, Kens," he said wearily, holding up his backpack.

"Oh…okay." She moved away from him and crutched over to the sofa. "Would you like some tea or maybe some hot cocoa?"

He shook his head. "No thanks…I will take you up on the shower though."

Kensi nodded. "Okay. You know where it is."

"Thanks." He managed to force the slightest hint of a smile, which looked more like a grimace, before walking off towards the bathroom.

"Where was he?" Kensi whispered as Deeks came over to the sofa and sat down tiredly beside her.

"He was on one of the streets near where Sam lives." Deeks shook his head and looked at Kensi. "He was so out of it. He didn't even realize I was standing outside my car until he was walking right by me and I called him. He's not himself at all."

"I just feel so bad for him," Kensi stated. "He loves Sam's kids. He would never deliberately hurt one of them."

"I know. It was just a freak accident." Deeks wearily ran his hand back through his hair and leaned back against the sofa, closing his eyes. "Hopefully, this will all just blow over. Kamran just needs to realize he didn't mean to hurt her."

"I just hope it's that easy," Kensi said, cuddling against him.

xxxxx

Callen stood under the spray of the shower, letting the hot pellets of water warm and soothe his cold body and tense muscles. "I'm so sorry, Kamran," he said softly, the water intermixing with silent tears he was finally allowing to fall. "I would never, ever want to hurt you. I can't believe I did this." After standing in the shower for about 10 minutes, he finally turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, drying himself with one of the clean towels that Kensi had left for him. He then pulled some royal blue sweats out of his backpack and put them on. He was practically asleep on his feet as he went back out into the living room, totally overwhelmed by all that had happened.

"Are you feeling any better?" Kensi asked, looking up Callen when he came back into their living room.

He nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah…thanks for the shower."

"You need to get some rest," Deeks said as he got up from the sofa.

"Not really. It's practically morning anyway," Callen said stubbornly.

"You **_need_** to get some rest," Deeks repeated emphatically.

For a few long seconds, Callen stared back at the young detective, not particularly liking the idea of Deeks ordering him around, but he didn't have it in him to even try to fight back. Finally, he just nodded. "Fine."

"I'll show you to your room," Deeks said.

Callen followed Deeks to the spare bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to fight against the utter fatigue that seemed to have overtaken his entire body.

"If you need anything, let me know."

Callen nodded. "Thanks, Deeks." He watched as Deeks closed the door and then he lay back on the bed, trying to put the events of the night out of his mind, but totally unable to do so. Eventually, the need for sleep overcame his dismal thoughts and he succumbed to an uneasy slumber.

xxxxx

_"Is anybody here?" Callen asked tremulously as he cautiously tried to make his way through the pitch black mine. "Hello?!"_

_"Can't you see me, Uncle Callen?" Kamran's voice echoed loudly through the mine. "I can see you."_

_"Kamran? Where…where are you?"_

_"I'm right here, Uncle Callen…right where you left me…"_

_"What? I…I didn't leave you here, Kamran…I would never do that…"_

_"You beat me up and left me here to die. You're a very bad man, Uncle Callen…You're the worst kind of evil. A child abuser…A child killer."_

_"No!" He shook his head frantically, denying her words. "I would never do that."_

_He turned abruptly and saw a white glow approaching him. He slowly backed up until he hit the wall of the mine. When he tried to move away from it, he could feel some kind of a slime oozing along the wall, a lifelike substance that curled into snake-like tendrils and moved all over his body, pinning him against the wall as the glow grew closer._

_"I'm coming, Uncle Callen…" Kamran called, the sound of her voice chilling him to the core. "You can't escape me or the mine._

_Finally the glow reached him. It was Kamran. She was dressed in a tattered white gown, spattered with blood stains. Her eyes were nothing but hollow holes, but they seemed as if they were staring right into his soul._

_"Why did you do it, Uncle Callen?" she asked. "I used to love you and I thought you loved me too. Why did you kill me?"_

_"I…I didn't, Kamran… I would never do that…I wouldn't…"_

_"You hit me and hit me, again and again. You left me here to die. I was bleeding so badly and no one came to help me, no matter how many times I called for help. Mommy and daddy are so sad. You betrayed them. You betrayed my whole family. Daddy and Aiden want to kill you, but I don't want them to go to jail, so I'm going to take care of that for them. How would you like to die? Quick or slow? Slow or quick?" She giggled, an eerie, high-pitched sound, the likes of which he had never heard before._

_"Kam…I…please…?"_

_"Please?!" she shouted angrily. "How can you say that to me? When I begged you to stop beating me, you didn't listen. You just kept on and on. Please Uncle Callen, please stop! But you didn't stop!"_

_"I…I didn't…"_

_"You did! I'm dead and now you're going to die too!"_

_He could feel the slimy substance tightening around him, crushing his chest and squeezing his neck, cutting off his airway, he knew that it was just a matter of time. Kamran…Kamran, please…" he gasped._

_"Now, we will be together forever and ever, in the mine that you hate so much. You will remember what you did and suffer for all eternity…"_

_xxxxx_

_"_ I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, please believe me!"

"Callen! Callen, wake up!"

Callen's eyes opened and he looked around the unfamiliar room in confusion. "Where…where am I?" he asked. "Where's Kam?"

"She's at home, Callen." Deeks sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the other man with concern. "You're at my and Kensi's place, remember?" There was a thin sheen of perspiration covering Callen's face and tears on his cheeks. No wonder Kamran had ended up with a bloody nose. If he had been experiencing a nightmare like this, she wouldn't have stood a chance. "Are you alright?"

"Kam's not home, Deeks. You're lying! Where is she?" Tell me!" Callen sat up in bed and roughly grabbed Deeks by his arm, right under his sore shoulder.

"What the hell, man…let go of me." Callen was much weaker than usual, but tight grip he had on Deeks' arm was still causing him a decent amount of pain.

"Tell me the truth, Deeks. Is she in the hospital? Which one?" Callen released Deeks' arm, but his blue eyes remained focused on him in a piercing gaze.

"She's not in the hospital, Callen."

"Why won't you tell me?" Callen demanded. "I know I probably don't have the right to know after what I did to her, but please give me something, Deeks. I don't need to know which hospital. I know Sam wants to protect her from me. At least tell me how she is…please?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Deeks asked, looking at Callen incredulously. "What do you think happened to her?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Callen made a move to lie back down but Deeks grabbed him by his upper arms, preventing him from doing so.

"Answer me, Callen. What do you think happened to her?"

"No!" Callen shook his head agitatedly, trying to escape Deeks' grasp. "I won't talk about this. I won't!"

"Kamran is going to be fine. It was an accident, man. You know it was an accident, don't you?"

Images of Kamran's scared face, her tears, blood coming from her nose, filled Callen's mind. He could still hear her voice, telling him not to touch her, saying how he had hurt her. He tried to pull away from Deeks once again and this time Deeks let him go as Callen lay back down and huddled underneath the blankets, blocking the other man from his sight. "I'm a monster who beat up a little girl," he whispered. "It was not an accident."

xxxxx

_I know that Kensi and Deeks talked about wanting a spare bedroom at the beginning of "The Seventh Child," so I decided to give them one for storyline purposes ;)_


	46. Chapter 46

"Callen…" Deeks stared at Callen, or rather Callen's back in shock as he remained huddled under the covers, facing in the opposite direction. "Come on, man…that's not what happened." He put his hand on Callen's shoulder but the other man didn't respond. "You were having a nightmare. Kam tried to wake you and you inadvertently hit her. That's all it was. I mean, I know it sucks, but you certainly didn't beat her up. That's just crazy."

Callen didn't respond at all. He remained silent and Deeks didn't even know if he had heard him or not. "Callen?" There was still only silence. "Fine," Deeks said with a sigh as he stood up. "You're going to have to talk to me or someone else at some point. You can't hide from this forever. I'll leave you alone for now." He then walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

xxxxx

"Deeks?" Kensi looked up at him, her eyes filled with concern, when he reentered their bedroom. "Is Callen alright?"

He shook his head as he got into bed beside Kensi and put his arm around her, holding her tightly, needing to feel her warmth and closeness. "He's about as far from alright as he can be, Kens," he said quietly. "I really thought if he came home that things would be better for him, you know?"

"Well, you couldn't have foreseen this thing with Kam happening."

"Yeah I know," Deeks said. "He just keeps getting dealt the crappiest hands though."

"So, what do you think we should do?" Kensi asked.

"I honestly don't know," Deeks admitted. "He doesn't seem to know which end is up. He said he beat up Kamran. I don't know if he's just over exaggerating what happened or if he just doesn't remember because he wasn't awake and really believes that he beat her."

Kensi shook her head. "That's not good."

Deeks sighed heavily. "No…no, it's not. It's still early, but I'm going to call Sam a little later and see what he thinks about it, then maybe I'll try to talk to Callen again. I don't claim to know exactly what he's going through, but I do have some frame of reference."

"You should see if you can get a little sleep," Kensi said, knowing what Deeks was referring to, but not really wanting to think about when he and Sam were tortured by Sidorov. Those had been dark days.

"Yeah…yeah, I'll try… Hopefully, Callen will be able to get some sleep too."

xxxxx

After Deeks had left him alone again, Callen tossed the covers aside and sat up in bed. He was still shaky from the nightmare. It had been a real doozy and it proved just how messed up he was. He thought about what Deeks had said, but he didn't really believe him. Sam's absence pretty much confirmed that it wasn't true. Sam wouldn't be able to stay away if things were really okay between them. He wasn't sure what he ought to do next. He didn't really want to stay here, intruding on Kensi's and Deeks' lives. But he didn't want to stay with Hetty either. He really just wanted to go home, but he knew if he did that, Hetty would just have him committed to that hospital she had mentioned, against his will. She had tasered him before…he really wouldn't put anything past her. There was a very good chance he'd end up in a straightjacket. Sometimes the tiny woman was just plain scary. If he was physically capable, he would just disappear for a while, but the sad fact was, he just wasn't able to do that right now. With the limited options he had available, he realized that staying put was likely his best choice for now, at least until he could think of something better.

xxxxx

Sam had been dozing fitfully, on and off, since he returned home, but had never fallen into what he would describe as a truly restful sleep. This time, when he opened his eyes, he found himself being scrutinized by his daughter who was sitting between him and Michelle on their bed.

"Good morning, daddy," she said softly.

"Hey baby girl. How are you feeling?" he asked as he sat up in bed, eyeing her observantly. Her nose looked a little bit swollen and was minimally bruised, but he was relieved to see it didn't look bad at all.

"I feel okay," Kamran said. "My nose doesn't really hurt very much. It's just sore if I touch it."

"Well then try not to touch it," Sam instructed with a smile.

"Okay," Kam said with a nod.

He was momentarily distracted when he saw Michelle stretching beside Kamran. "Good morning," she said. "Kam, sweetheart. Let me take a look at you."

Kamran obediently turned to her mother so she could inspect her face. "Well that actually looks pretty good," Michelle said. "Does it hurt?"

"Not very much."

"Well, how would you like some breakfast?" Michelle asked with a smile. "I can make pancakes."

"Is he going to be eating with us?" Kamran asked petulantly. "I won't eat with him."

Sam shook his head. "No…he's gone, Kamran."

"He is?" Her expression visibly brightened up which caused Sam's heart to sink. "Good. I'm glad."

"Kamran…" Michelle began after exchanging a look with her husband.

"I don't want to talk about it," Kamran said. "I'm just glad he's gone."

"I would like to talk about it though," Sam said, his tone gentle as he looked at Kamran.

Kamran sighed. "Daddy…"

"Just for a few minutes," Sam said. "I'd just like you to tell me again what happened."

"Fine!" Kamran sighed again, this time much more dramatically. "I went to use the bathroom. When I was going back to my room, I could hear him calling out. He was moving all around and the covers were all tangled up. I went to help him and he hit me."

"Okay…" Sam said with a nod. "Was he awake when this happened?"

Kamran thought for a few moments before shaking her head. "No…no I don't think so," she admitted, "but daddy…"

"Sweetheart, can't you see that this was an accident?" Sam asked her. "Don't you understand that Uncle Callen would never hurt you?"

"He did hurt me."

"Okay, I'll give you that," Sam said. "But he would never hurt you deliberately."

"But he still hurt me. There's no excuse for that."

Sam sighed softly and shook his head, realizing they were just going around in circles.

"Will he have to get a new job now?"

"Why would you even ask that?" Michelle entered the conversation.

"Daddy shouldn't have to work with someone who hurt me."

"He isn't going to get a new job," Sam said. "And before you ask, I'm not getting a new job either."

"Hmph." Kamran crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her father. "I don't know why you'd want to work with someone who would hurt your own daughter."

Michelle had been listening and watching the interaction between Sam and Kamran closely. "Kamran…it seems to me that you're almost more interested in punishing Callen than anything else."

"People should get punished when they hurt other people," Kamran said matter-of-factly.

"Even when it's an accident?" Sam asked. He was actually beginning to feel a little bit relieved. A spiteful child would be easier to deal with than one who was truly traumatized by what had happened.

"Yes. He still hurt me so he needs to be punished."

"So, what do you think that punishment should be?" Sam asked.

"Well…he could go to jail…"

"So, you'd like to see Uncle Callen put into a prison with lots of criminals?" Michelle asked. "With men who have done horrible things, men who could hurt him too? Is that what you think he deserves?"

"You're ruining this," Kamran said as she glared at her mother.

"You know that Uncle Callen went through some very bad things before we came home after the plane crash," Sam said. "Probably a lot worse than any punishment you might want to give him. It's why he was staying with us. It's why he's been having nightmares. You know people can't help having nightmares. You've had them before."

"I don't hit people when I have them."

"But what if you did, Kamran?" Michelle asked. "Or what if your daddy had a bad nightmare? What if I tried to wake him up and he accidentally hit me. Would you want him to go to jail?"

"No, of course not," Kamran was quick to answer.

"Then why is it different for Callen?" Sam asked.

"Because it really hurt, daddy," Kamran said, her eyes filling with tears. "And I was bleeding and he really scared me."

Sam gently took his daughter in his arms and held her. "I know it hurt, baby," he said softly. "And I know it scared you and I'm really sorry it happened. I wish I had told you that you should stay away from him if he was ever having a nightmare, but I just didn't think to do that."

"It's not your fault," Kamran said, drawing away from her father and gazing up at him.

"It's not his fault either," Sam said. "He wasn't awake. He didn't know what he was doing."

"Kamran, can you honestly say that you're afraid of Uncle Callen?" Michelle asked, watching her daughter's reaction carefully. "That you think he wants to hurt you?"

Kamran hesitated before answering. "I don't know," she finally said.

"What if we were to go visit him?" Sam asked. "All of us, your mom and I would be right with you. We'd make sure nothing happened and that you were safe. Would you be willing to do that?"

"I don't know," Kamran said again. "Maybe…I have to think about it."

"Okay," Sam said as he kissed the top of Kamran's head. It was actually better than he had hoped for. Maybe there was still a way to get out of at least part of this mess. "You do that, baby girl. You think about it."

xxxxx

"Come in," Callen said in response to the knock on his bedroom door. Deeks entered, holding a plate and a glass of orange juice.

"Hey, I thought you might be hungry. I made omelets," Deeks said passing the plate off to Callen and then the juice.

"You don't need to bring me food, Deeks," Callen said. "I can eat with you and Kensi."

"I wasn't sure if you would want to," Deeks said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Besides…I thought maybe we could talk, just us guys."

Callen quickly took a bite of the omelet and ate it, followed by some juice. "This is delicious," he said. "Did you make it?"

Deeks nodded, recognizing Callen's clumsy attempt to change the subject. "I really think talking could help…."

Callen sighed and focused on Deeks as he chewed then swallowed another mouthful of the omelet. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked guardedly before taking another forkful of food. It was really good, but he had a feeling breakfast was about to be ruined.

Deeks shrugged. "I don't know. It seems like you'd have a lot to talk about though. I mean, a lot of shit has happened to you."

"What about you? You were in the plane crash too," Callen said. "You could have been killed in the crash and then again in the hospital when they grabbed me. Maybe you've got something to say."

"I'm not the one having nightmares," Deeks said solemnly.

Callen swallowed the food in his mouth, put down the fork and sighed deeply as he gazed at Deeks. "Yeah, I'm having nightmares. I admit it. What do you want? A play-by-play of what happens in them? Okay, fine. They mostly take place in the mine. It's always pitch black and there are bugs crawling all over me, or Kamran is in there telling me how evil I am for what I did to her, or Page is taunting me or beating me. Stuff like that. There. I talked to you. Happy?"

"Wow…" Deeks looked back at Callen, surprised by what he had said.

"Yeah," Callen said, taking a sip of juice before he put the glass down on the nightstand.

"I guess you've got a lot on your mind…"

Callen shrugged.

"You need to talk to someone, man…" Deeks said. "I did. I mean, I didn't want to admit I needed help either after the whole Sidorov thing, but I wasn't eating properly…I wasn't sleeping…I was pretty messed up. Stuff was just running through my head constantly. Nate helped me to sort through my feelings and get through it…"

Callen slowly shook his head. "Nate? I can't talk to Nate…" Nate had waterboarded him and thrown around his confidential information frivolously, as if it meant nothing at all. How could he even think about trusting him?

"I'm not saying it has to be Nate. I'm sure there are lots of people…"

"I'm not talking to strangers either," Callen cut Deeks off. "Not about this stuff…I just can't do it. I won't." That would be even worse. To have to go through his whole life story with a new psychologist seemed like torture to him. At least Nate already knew his past emotional baggage.

"You can't just keep it inside, eating at you either," Deeks said. "It's not going to go away…it only gets worse."

Callen shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "You don't know that…" he said softly. "Eventually, it might get better. Memories fade and…"

"Come on, Callen… Who are you kidding? Do you really believe that? Have all your memories faded? Stuff from when you were a kid? Did you forget it all? I know I didn't. Some stuff, I can remember like it happened only yesterday. Maybe you were luckier than me though…I don't know…maybe you're different. Maybe you've forgotten about your childhood and the 37 foster homes. Is that it, Callen? Are you different?" Deeks prodded, hoping he wasn't pushing him too hard.

"No…no, I'm not different, Deeks," Callen said quietly, deep in thought as Deeks' words sunk in, and his own feelings rose to the surface. He was scared of the mine…a stupid, damn dark cave, an inanimate object. He didn't understand why, but there it was. No matter how hard he tried to force it out of his head, he couldn't, and he couldn't understand how something like that could be bothering him so much. It just didn't make sense. Being afraid of Page would make more sense to him, but that wasn't the problem. It was the thought of that mine that made his blood run cold and haunted his dreams. And then there was Kamran…but that was the other side of the coin. He was so fucked up in so many ways…

Deeks watched as Callen desperately battled to keep his emotions under control. "Feelings are tricky things…we've all got our demons. Everyone's different. Think about what I said…about talking to someone, okay? I know you don't think it will help, but it can't hurt and who knows, maybe it will be the best thing you ever did for yourself. At least consider it?"

"I'll think about it, Deeks," Callen said quietly. "No promises, but I'll see." He was beginning to accept that he had to do something. He felt like he was hanging on by a thread…a really thin thread, and if it snapped, he was going to be in for a very painful fall.


	47. Chapter 47

Callen was sitting on the sofa in the living room, trying to keep his attention on some mindless action movie on t.v., when Deeks and Kensi entered the room. Both were casually dressed in jeans, shirts, denim jackets and sneakers. "Hey Callen," Deeks said. "We're going to go grab some lunch and maybe hang on the boardwalk at the beach for a while, breathe in some of that good sea air. You game?"

Callen pretended to consider their offer, but then shook his head. "No. I'm kind of tired. I think I'll just stay here. You guys have fun though."

"Oh come on, Callen," Kensi said. "We're not going to go far. I can't on these crutches anyway. The fresh air will be good for you."

"No, I'm good. I really want to see how this movie turns out," he said, the white lie easily rolling off his tongue.

Kensi and Deeks exchanged a long look. "Well, okay. Maybe tomorrow?" Deeks said. "We can have lunch here. You in the mood for anything in particular?"

"Wait, what?" Callen asked, his eyes widening at the realization of what was going on. "Uh, I don't need a babysitter. Seriously, you guys go. I'll be fine here." He was actually very much yearning to have some time to himself for a change.

"No…I'm kind of tired too," Kensi said as she lowered herself onto the sofa.

Callen rolled his eyes. "Really? I'm not allowed to be alone for a couple of hours without a keeper? This is getting ridiculous. Did Hetty put you up to this?"

"We haven't talked to Hetty, Callen," Deeks said.

"Well then, go. Please. Don't stay here on my account."

"That's probably not the best idea," Kensi said, her eyes apologetic.

Callen angrily grabbed the remote control and turned the television off. "I don't think my staying here is the best idea either," he said, getting up off the sofa. "I'm going to get out of here so that you two can do what you want."

"Whoa, wait, Callen. You can't leave," Deeks said, placing himself directly in Callen's path.

"Are you kidding me?" Callen gave Deeks an incredulous look. "Get out of my way. You can't stop me from leaving."

"I don't want to, Callen," Deeks said. "But I will if you force the issue. You know you can't be on your own just yet. Hetty will…well who knows what she'll do."

"You can't stop me, Deeks," Callen repeated, his eyes cold. "I'm not going to be your prisoner. I've had just about enough of that lately."

Deeks stared at Callen for a few long moments and then decided to back off, realizing how he would feel if he was in his shoes. "Fine…you win." He glanced over at Kensi. "Come on, Kens. Let's go get some lunch."

"Really?" Kensi asked, looking at Deeks a little uncertainly. Deeks nodded and she grabbed her crutches.

"We'll probably be gone for a couple of hours," Deeks said to Callen. "Are you going to be here when we get back?"

Callen nodded. "Yes, I'll be here, Deeks…I promise," he said. "You two have fun…and thanks…"

"Bye, Callen. There's plenty of stuff to eat in the fridge," Kensi said.

"Thanks," Callen said, as he sat back down. "See you later." He watched as Kensi and Deeks left and then breathed a sigh of relief as he relaxed against the back of the sofa, pleased to finally have a little bit of time to himself.

xxxxx

"Oh this is nice," Kensi said, taking a bite of her fish taco and smiling in delight at all the goings on around them. They were sitting at an outdoor table of a tiny establishment called Bongo's Beach Shack.

"It is," Deeks said, nodding in agreement. He gazed out at the water. "Maybe I'll try to get in some surfing next week."

"Do you think that's okay, with your shoulder?" Kensi asked. "You'd better ask the physical therapist first." Deeks had an appointment with PT on Monday and Kensi had an appointment with the orthopedic doctor as well.

"Yes, mom. I'll ask the physical therapist," Deeks said with a grin. He had a feeling his request would be denied and if that was the case, he'd have to wait until he was medically cleared. He didn't want to do anything to jeopardize his recovery.

"So…do you think it was a good idea to leave Callen alone?" Kensi asked, her eyes serious as she looked at Deeks.

Deeks chewed and swallowed a mouthful of food before answering. "I think we have to treat him like a man, not a two-year-old, Kens. If he runs, he runs. He's right. We can't keep him prisoner. When he said that, I just felt like a schmuck. He's gone through enough. I'm not going to add to his torment."

"But what about Hetty?"

"What about her?" Deeks said, shrugging. "For right now, she doesn't even know Callen is with us, unless Sam told her. "In any case, what's she going to do to us? We weren't told to be Callen's jailers. This is between him and her. I'm not getting in the middle of it."

Kensi nodded. "I guess you're right," she said, but she didn't look particularly happy about it.

"Come on, Kensi, let's just try to enjoy the day," Deeks said, taking her hand from across the table. "You've got fresh air, sunshine, fish tacos and the most charming lunch companion imaginable. I'll even spring for ice cream for dessert. What more could you ask for?"

"I don't think I could ask for anything more," Kensi said, smiling back at Deeks and allowing herself to relax. He was right, Callen didn't deserve to be hounded 24/7. That just wasn't fair to any of them.

xxxxx

After Kensi and Deeks left, Callen went into the kitchen and made himself a roast beef sandwich, then put some chips on the plate and took a can of soda. He brought his lunch out into the living room and settled back in front of the t.v. Just this simple act made him feel more normal and like himself than he had felt in ages. He had just finished eating his sandwich and was contentedly munching on chips when the doorbell rang. Immediately, his sense of peace and well-being disappeared. He sat there for a long moment, wishing whoever it was would go away, but then the doorbell rang again. He sighed as he got up from the sofa and went to the door. There, behind the glass window, was Sam. The two pairs of eyes locked and for a weird few seconds, Callen had a sense of déjà vu as he remembered when he had closed the glass door, shutting Sam out when he had been infected with the Spiral bioweapon. He quickly came back to reality though, realizing this was nothing like that. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door.

"Hey G." Sam looked his partner up and down, relieved to see that he looked well. "Can I come in?"

Callen nodded and silently moved aside so that Sam could enter. He opened his mouth to say something, but was at a loss for words so he didn't say anything. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he wondered what Sam wanted. He appeared calm, but Callen knew that could all be a carefully constructed façade. He doubted Sam would physically assault him, but he wasn't really sure. Maybe he was going to arrest him? That was another possibility.

"Can I sit down?" Sam asked.

Callen nodded and waited for Sam to sit on the sofa. He then sat down by his plate on the coffee table, leaving a bit of distance between the partners. He wanted to ask about Kamran but he couldn't get the words out. He was too anxious to hear the answer.

"Cat got your tongue?" Sam asked. He shoved his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bottle of pills which he put on the coffee table next to Callen's plate of chips. "Your antibiotics. You were supposed to take the first dose this morning so you should probably take one now."

"Thanks." Callen opened the bottle, took out a pill and swallowed it with a sip of soda, then sighed as he stared at the coffee table. He couldn't remember ever having this level of discomfort before with Sam. It was awful.

Sam could no longer bear to watch his partner in such obvious misery. "She's going to be fine, G," he said softly.

Callen shot Sam a stricken look and then bowed his head, his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "You'll never know how sorry I am." He finally managed to get the words out, a hitch in his voice. "Whatever action you want to take…I won't fight it."

Sam gave Callen a bewildered look. "Action? What are you talking about?"

If you want to press charges or just punch the hell out of me, go for it.

Sam shook his head. "I'm not going to hit you, G. What happened wasn't your fault…it was an accident."

"You didn't see her face….you didn't see the way she looked at me," Callen said, his voice getting progressively softer as he spoke. "I'll never forget that look in her eyes…"

Sam sighed, unsure of what to say, not wanting to make Callen feel any worse than he already did. "I've never lied to you and I won't start now. I'll admit that Kamran was upset," he began, "and it may take some time for things to be back the way they used to be between the two of you, but I do think she'll get over it."

Callen shook his head slowly, a lost look in his eyes. "I don't…and she shouldn't have to get over it…I had no right to do what I did to her…to…to be like them…"

"To be like who, G?" Sam asked, his attention focused intently on his partner.

Callen didn't answer him.

"To be like who?" Sam raised his voice and reached for Callen's shoulder which caused his partner to involuntarily flinch. It was barely even noticeable, but Sam backed off immediately. That was something Callen just didn't do, except possibly if he was playing a part undercover. He certainly had never done it in response to Sam for any real reason.

"G?"

"Never mind, Sam," Callen said, managing to pull himself together, at least on the outside. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine…you're anything but fine," Sam said. "Where's Kensi, anyway?" He had noticed Deeks' vehicle was missing when he got there, but he had assumed Deeks had gone out and Kensi was home with Callen.

"She's not here. She's with Deeks," Callen answered.

"They left you here alone?" Sam asked, his expression angry.

"Oh trust me, they didn't want to," said Callen, his own anger flaring. "Do you have any idea how much I hate this? I'm sick and tired of being treated like some helpless little kid who can't be left alone."

"Nobody is meaning to do that," Sam stated. "We're just worried about you."

"Yeah, right. What exactly do you all think I'm going to do if I'm left alone for five minutes?" Callen asked. "I can't even tell you how aggravating it is. You wouldn't like it either, Sam. Don't tell me that you would."

"Come on, G, it's not that bad."

"Really? And God forbid I don't do exactly what Hetty dictates I should do or she'll have me locked up in some hospital somewhere and I'll probably never be seen or heard from again."

"That's an exaggeration."

"Not about being put in a hospital. She said that. You heard it too. Don't tell me you didn't."

Sam sighed deeply. "Yeah, I heard it," he said. "But it's not going to happen. Don't worry about it."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one being threatened by her. You get to do what you want, come and go as you please."

"You've been sick, G...You were the target of a total whack job… It's not like there aren't reasons for us to worry about you. Not to mention, you did promise Hetty you'd go along with her conditions if you were able to leave the hospital in Seattle."

"I'm better now."

Sam wanted to say that although Callen might be physically improving, he sure as hell wasn't doing well psychologically. He didn't say that though, knowing if he did, it would just set his partner off further. "I still worry…I saw you go through a lot. You almost died, more than once. Sorry if that got to me and I just want you to be safe."

The raw emotion in Sam's eyes caused Callen to lose his train of thought and he just stared at his partner, who had been with him through everything, who had saved his life after the plane crash and who he had repaid by hurting his daughter. "I'm sorry, Sam," he said quietly, starting to feel calmer. "I just…I wish everyone would stop thinking I'm going down some self-destructive path…it's just not true…I get that Hetty doesn't want me to go back home right now, but I can be left alone for a while. What does everyone think is going to happen?"

Sam shrugged, not really having a good answer. "I don't know, G…like I said, people are just worried. When someone has gone through all the crap you have, well…it's just kind of hard to turn off that impulse to be overprotective. It's what families do."

"I get it, Sam…I do…I understand that you can't turn off that impulse, but maybe you could just turn it down a little bit?" Callen asked.

Sam nodded. "Yeah…yeah I can do that for you," he said as he got up from the sofa. "And I guess I'll start now…I'll leave you alone."

"Thanks, Sam," Callen said. "Tell Kamran…" He shook his head, at a loss for words once again. Saying he was sorry just didn't seem good enough. It seemed a very trivial thing to say in lieu of what had happened.

"I'll tell her," Sam said. "I'll talk to her some more…try to see if I can get her to talk to you..."

"Don't force it, Sam," Callen said. "I really don't blame her if she doesn't want to…It's a hard thing to get past…" Even if it had been an accident, he had still struck her, resulting in her being hurt and afraid. He knew from his own life that episodes like that stayed with you…they weren't just forgotten overnight and he honestly didn't know if Kamran could ever get over what he had done. He wasn't sure if he would ever get over it either.


	48. Chapter 48

"How is he doing?" Michelle asked Sam, her tone gentle. The couple was seated alone in their living room. Sam had just returned from visiting Callen.

"He…I don't know," Sam said, shaking his head. "He's pretty upset about Kamran and he's sick of people coddling him and being watched by everyone. I guess on some level I knew this was coming. Even though he's having some issues dealing with everything, he doesn't do well being eyeballed constantly. He's too independent for that."

Michelle nodded. "You really can't blame him for that, Sam."

"No…no, I can't, but… you didn't see him in Seattle. Some of his behavior was really bizarre. I can't really blame Hetty for not wanting to leave him totally unsupervised."

"Hi daddy," Kamran came down the stairs into the living room. "I was looking for you earlier, but you weren't here. Where did you go?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

Sam shot a quick look at Michelle who just shrugged slightly. "I went to see Callen," Sam said after a small hesitation. "He left his medicine here. I needed to give it to him."

"Oh…" Kamran said, appearing to consider that tidbit of information. "Was he sorry?" she finally asked, staring at Sam with a look he found difficult to decipher.

Sam nodded. "Yes…yes he's very upset about what happened, that he hurt you…even though it wasn't at all deliberate."

Kamran didn't say anything. She looked down at the floor, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"I think that you know he would never hurt you on purpose," Michelle said softly. "He's known you since you were a very little girl. He's never hurt you before, has he?"

"No…no he hasn't," Kamran admitted, but didn't elaborate further on that. "Can I go outside?" she asked, after a long silence.

"Don't you want to go over to Bridget's house?" Michelle asked. "I can drive you over there."

Kamran quickly shook her head. "I don't want her to see me like this."

"It doesn't look bad." Sam was quick to try to reassure his daughter. "I can hardly notice it at all."

"I don't care," Kamran said. "I can notice it. And I'm not going to school on Monday either if it isn't better."

"You don't dictate the rules, Kamran," Michelle stated firmly. "I'm pretty sure you'll be going to school on Monday."

Kamran pouted sulkily but didn't defy her mother. "So can I go outside?" she asked again.

"Go ahead," Sam said.

"Thank you," Kamran said, bolting from the living room and out the front door before they could say anything else to her.

xxxxx

Kamran went outside to the driveway with her basketball and aimlessly dribbled it while periodically taking some shots at the hoop. She was bored playing by herself though and soon abandoned that activity. She went and sat on the front porch steps and her mind drifted to Callen and what had happened with him. She couldn't help but think that if he was still there, he would likely be happy to play a game with her or just talk to her. He had hurt her and scared her, but the more she thought about it, the clearer it was becoming that he had not meant to do so. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she never even noticed Hetty until the tiny woman was standing right in front of her. "Oh, hello Hetty," she said, starting slightly to see her suddenly there, almost like she had popped up out of nowhere.

"Hello, Kamran," Hetty said. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

"You didn't."

"Hmm…" Hetty observantly noted the bruising and slight swelling over Kamran's nose, but decided not to mention it to the girl. "Are your parents inside?" she asked.

Kamran nodded. "I'll bring you in." She got up from the top of the stairs where she was sitting and led Hetty to the front door and opened it. "Mom, dad," she called out. "Hetty is here."

Sam quickly entered the living room from the kitchen. "Oh hey, Hetty," he said. "I didn't expect to see you here today." Inwardly he wondered if she was going to be coming there every day, but quickly discarded the thought, realizing that she was likely there to see Callen and not him. "What can I do for you?" he asked. He noted that Kamran was standing there, her attention focused on the two adults. "Kam, you can go back outside if you'd like."

"I'm bored outside," Kamran said, a slight whine in her voice.

"Well then go up to your room so that we can talk."

"Fine," Kamran said with a heavy sigh as she trudged towards the staircase.

"Why don't you have a seat," Sam said to Hetty, gesturing towards the sofa. "Can I get you anything? Some tea?"

"No thank you, Sam," Hetty said as she made herself comfortable on the sofa. "So…I couldn't help notice some bruising over Kamran's nose. What happened to her?"

Sam sighed, wishing for once that Hetty didn't notice everything. "It was just an accident. She got accidentally hit."

"Hmm…I see," Hetty said, nodding thoughtfully. "And how is Mr. Callen today?" she stared pointedly at the staircase. "Is he napping?"

Sam hesitated, his mind going in all different directions but finally decided on the truth. Lying wasn't going to work with Hetty, at least not for long. "He's not here."

"Hmm…" Hetty said again. "And wherever could he be? I wouldn't think you'd be letting him run amuck out there."

Sam shook his head. "Hetty…that's part of the problem. It's not up to me to let him do anything. I'm his partner, not his jailer. He can make his own decisions. It's one of the things that's getting under his skin. He's tired of the constant babysitting and honestly, I think he has a point. He's doing better. We don't have to guard him 24 hours a day."

"What happened to Kamran, Sam?" Hetty asked him, her tone and expression serious as she waited for an answer.

Sam sighed, wondering why Hetty always had to know every tiny detail about everything. "G was having a nightmare…Kam heard him and when she tried to help him, he accidentally hit her."

"Ah…I take it Mr. Callen did not take that very well."

"No… no he didn't," Sam admitted, shaking his head. "He took off…"

Hetty looked alarmed upon hearing that news. "He's gone?" she asked anxiously. "You don't know where he is?"

"I do know where he is. Don't worry. He's fine."

Hetty waited expectantly for more and when Sam did not oblige she prodded him. "Please, Mr. Hanna. This is not a game. I will find out whether or not you choose to tell me."

"Hetty…G thinks you're going to throw him into a mental hospital. Having your threats hanging over his head isn't very beneficial to his recovery."

"Mr. Hanna…I am waiting."

"Can't you just take my word that he's safe and doing okay?"

"You're trying my patience," Hetty said, a note of irritation in her tone. "Is he at his home?"

Sam shook his head, beginning to understand why his partner was so upset about his lack of privacy. "He's with Kensi and Deeks," he finally said reluctantly.

"There, was that really so difficult?" Hetty asked him.

"Yes, if you're going over there to threaten him. You should leave him alone, Hetty. He's gone through enough without you getting him upset all over again."

"I must say, you make me out to be quite an ogre," Hetty stated. "If it makes you happy, I will forego my visit to Mr. Callen. I will however call to speak with Mr. Deeks or Ms. Blye to inquire about his condition, unless that is against your rules as well?"

"No…of course not," Sam said sheepishly. "And of course you're not an ogre…it's just, he was pretty upset earlier thinking about getting sent to a mental hospital."

"Well, you can rest assured that I have no present plans to do such a thing," Hetty informed Sam. "But for now, I must be going. There's something I must take care of."

"Okay…thanks for being so understanding," Sam said with a smile. "And I'm sorry for being, well a little bit secretive. It's just…he's my partner."

"Oh I understand, Sam. No worries," Hetty said, smiling up at him. "Enjoy the rest of your day and give my regards to Michelle."

"I will, Hetty. Thanks."

xxxxx

After Sam left, Callen finished the rest of his lunch and tried to focus on the television, but found that he quickly grew bored. His gaze traveled to the view outside the window. It really was a nice day. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get some fresh air. His discharge instructions from the hospital had specified exercise as tolerated and he could certainly tolerate a walk. He headed out the door and started walking down the street. Wondering just how badly out of shape he was, he then decided to try a slow jog. Encouraged by the minimal amount of pain he felt, he broke into a faster run and seemed okay until his breathing quickened. At that point, pain shot through both sides and he had to stop. "Dammit," he said as he tried to slow his breathing. That really hurt. He stood still until he had his breathing under control again and then turned around and began to walk, slowly and painstakingly, back to Kensi and Deeks' home.

xxxxx

"Hey Callen, we're home!" Deeks called out. "We got you some ice cream. Come and get it before Monty does." He shrugged when there was no response. "Guess I'll stick it in the freezer. Maybe he's asleep." He went into the kitchen and put the ice cream into the freezer then returned to the living room where Kensi was sitting on the sofa.

"Maybe you should check on him," Kensi said softly, looking up at Deeks.

"I'm sure he's fine," Deeks said. "I don't want to wake him if he's asleep."

"Just crack the door open and look inside."

"Why?"

Kensi sighed. "Because…I don't think he's sleeping."

Deeks looked at her in confusion. "Well, so what. Maybe he's reading or something. He said he wanted some time to himself. What's the big deal?"

"Deeks, do I have to spell it out? I don't think Callen's there. I think he's gone."

"Oh…" Deeks said, looking back at Kensi. "I don't think he'd do that, Kens…he said he wouldn't…he promised."

"He practically lies for a living, Deeks. Is it that difficult for you to believe?"

"Well…if he left, he left. I'm not going to chase him down again."

"Can you please just check, or I can do it."

"I'll do it." Deeks headed to Callen's room, returning a few moments later. "You're right," he admitted grudgingly. "He's gone."

"I didn't want to be right," Kensi said softly. At that moment, the sound of the front door opening caused them both to turn to see Callen reentering the house.

"Hey," Callen said, looking at them, puzzled. "What's up?"

"Uh nothing…" Deeks replied. "What happened to you? You look like you were run through the wringer."

"I went for a walk," Callen said.

"You look like you were running," Kensi said observantly.

"Were you?" Deeks asked.

Callen shrugged. "Maybe." He slowly eased himself down on the sofa, trying to keep any evidence of pain from his face.

Deeks shook his head. "Not really smart, man. You're going to be sore tomorrow."

"I'm already sore today," Callen said, smirking. "And you're right…it wasn't smart. I thought I could handle it…I thought wrong."

"Do you have pain killers?" Kensi asked, looking at him with concern. "Maybe you should take one?"

Callen quickly shook his head. "No…I'm good." He didn't bother to mention that Sam hadn't brought them. He'd only brought the antibiotics. Not that it mattered. He wouldn't have taken one anyway.

"How about ibuprofen?" Deeks suggested.

Callen considered that for a few moments and then nodded. "Yeah okay, that'd be good. Thanks."

"Be right back," said Deeks. He returned a few minutes later with a bottle of ibuprofen, a bottled water and a bag which he handed to Callen. "We got you some ice cream."

"Thanks." Callen took a couple tablets and swallowed down some water and then opened the bag and pulled out the ice cream container and took off the plastic cover. "Looks good."

"We couldn't decide what to get you, so we got one scoop of chocolate, vanilla and cookies and cream," said Kensi.

"Perfect," Callen said, digging into the ice cream with the plastic spoon. "So did you two have a good time?"

"We did," Kensi said, smiling happily. "It was a beautiful down on the beach. You need to come with us next time."

"Maybe I will," Callen said agreeably, taking another spoonful of the ice cream and letting it slowly melt in his mouth. "This is good ice cream."

"So, what did you do while we were gone?" Deeks asked. "You weren't walking and running around the whole time, were you?"

"No." Callen shook his head. "I had some lunch, and… Sam stopped by."

"Oh?" Kensi asked as she and Deeks exchanged a surprised glance. "How was that?"

"It…it was fine," Callen said. "He didn't punch me out anyway."

"He would never have done that," Kensi said, squeezing his arm supportively.

"Well…Kamran is still upset, which I expected. I don't know…I'm not really sure how that's going to be resolved…if it even can be…"

"It hasn't been very long at all," Deeks said. "Give it some time. I'm sure she'll come around."

Callen nodded, absently eating some more of the ice cream. He wished he could be as sure of that as Deeks seemed to be.

xxxxx

Today I thought lots about what happened to me. I've loved Uncle Callen since I was really little. I can't even remember when he wasn't a part of our family. He never, ever hurt me before and I know he didn't mean to hurt me last night. I bet he feels really bad about what happened. I know I do. I would have never wanted him to go to jail with lots of bad men or for daddy to beat him up. I was just really upset when I said those mean things. I miss him and I don't want him to feel bad. I'm going to ask daddy to bring me to see him tomorrow. Even though I'm a little nervous, I think it's the right thing to do.

Kamran put away her journal and turned off her light to try to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be a big day.


	49. Chapter 49

Callen was getting ready for bed when a knock sounded on his bedroom door. "Come in," he called out and Deeks entered the room a moment later.

"I thought maybe you could use this," Deeks said, placing a cooling pad on the bed. "Might help with the inflammation."

"Thanks," Callen said gratefully. His right side was very sore. His left side was sore also, but his right side was definitely worse. "It really wasn't my brightest move to decide to try running today."

"Hey, I get it," Deeks said. "I want to go surfing in the worst way. Kensi reminded me that the physical therapist might not agree with me on that."

"She's probably right," Callen said. "Trust me, don't push it before you're ready. I learned that the hard way."

"Sometimes it's hard to hold back though."

"True." Callen sat down on the bed and picked up the cooling pad. "Thanks for this…thanks for everything. I really appreciate you guys letting me stay here."

"No big deal, man," Deeks said. "Feel free to stay as long as you'd like."

"Or as long as Hetty deems necessary," Callen said with a sigh.

"We're not going to police you," Deeks said, wanting to reassure the other man.

"I know," Callen said, offering a faint smile. "That means a lot."

"Just think of it as a well-earned vacation…Anyhow, I'll let you get some sleep," Deeks said. "Holler if you need anything. Good night, Callen."

"Good night, Deeks," Callen said, watching as Deeks left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. He then laid down and put the cooling pad on his ailing side, sighing in relief when he felt the coolness begin to penetrate and soothe away some of the pain. He then reached for the lamp on the nightstand, and turned it off. His anxiety quickly got the better of him though. He could feel his heart begin to pound and he turned the light back on again. He couldn't believe he was still so bothered by the dark. He couldn't even begin to rationalize it. It was very disconcerting to say the least. After tossing and turning for quite some time, he finally drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

xxxxx

"So, what should we do today?" Michelle asked, smiling at Sam who had insisted on taking over the cooking of the family's Sunday morning breakfast. He was standing behind the electric griddle, expertly maneuvering bacon and eggs.

"I don't know," he answered with a shrug. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to do?"

"I know what I'd like to do," Kamran's voice came unexpectedly as both parents turned to glance at their daughter who had just entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," Sam said to Kam who was already dressed, an unusual occurrence for a Sunday morning. "Surprised to see you dressed so early."

"Your face looks good," Michelle said as she gave her daughter a once over. There was hardly any trace of an injury unless one was to really look for it.

Kamran nodded with a satisfied smile. "I know. It's getting much better."

"So, what is it you'd like to do, Kam?" Sam asked.

Kamran took a deep breath then looked at them determinedly. "I'd like to go see Uncle Callen."

"You would?" Michelle asked, exchanging a surprised look with her husband. "Really?"

"Why?" asked Sam, warily.

"Don't you want me to see him, daddy?" Kamran asked, her expression confused as she looked at her father. "I thought you wanted me to…"

"I do…it's just…are you sure you want to do this?" Sam had a bit of a queasy feeling in his stomach. Callen had appeared to be consumed by abject misery the previous day. He didn't want to make things worse. He wasn't really sure how much more his partner could take.

Kamran nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."

"You're not just doing it because you think it's what I want, are you?" Sam prodded.

"No." Kam shook her head insistently. "I want to do this for myself."

"Okay…well let's have breakfast and then I'll give G a call to let him know we're coming," Sam said.

Kamran took her seat at the table as Michelle took Sam's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "This is a good thing, Sam," she whispered to him. "Everything's going to be fine."

xxxxx

Callen had not slept well. Plagued by nightmares that woke him numerous times, but which he could not remember, he found himself tired and irritable as he tried to fight off a nagging headache. His ribs were sore and the news that Kamran wanted to see him only caused his nerves to be even more on edge. Lacking any appetite, he had picked at the breakfast Deeks had made and was now pacing about restlessly as he waited for the Hanna family to arrive. Every so often, he would peer out the front window to see if they were there yet.

"Callen, why don't you sit down and try to relax?" Kensi asked, her eyes following him as he walked about restlessly. Watching him pace was making her nervous.

"Kens…why don't we get out of here for a while? Maybe go to a matinee?" Deeks suggested.

Callen looked at the two of them, realizing what they were doing. "No. It's fine. I'm fine." He sat down on a chair and forced himself to be still. He certainly didn't want to chase them out of their own home.

"No man, seriously, I think we should go." Deeks placed his hand on Callen's shoulder in an attempt to ease his obvious jitters. "I don't really think you need us hanging around here gawking while you try to handle things with Kamran. I'd say the less people here, the better."

"Deeks is right, Callen." Kensi reached for her crutches and stood up, balancing herself. "We'll be back a little later."

"I just…this isn't right, me chasing you guys out of your own place."

Deeks shook his head. "Trust me, you're not."

Callen sighed heavily, still appearing upset. "I should have just gone there…I'm sorry. I just wasn't really thinking when Sam called."

"Callen, it's okay. We wanted to get out today anyway," Kensi said, trying to calm him. "Really, it's fine. Please don't worry about it…"

"Good luck." Deeks said, patting Callen's shoulder encouragingly. "Try not to worry. I have a good feeling about this."

"It'll be okay," Kensi said. "I'm sure Sam's not bringing Kamran here to berate you."

"Yeah, you're right." Callen forced a smile and watched as the two headed for the front door. "Have fun."

"Don't worry," Deeks called out as he closed the door.

"Yeah sure," Callen whispered to himself. He sighed and leaned his head against the back of the chair as he massaged his temples with his fingers. After another seemingly endless 10 minutes or so, the doorbell rang. Callen took a deep breath then stood up and headed to the front door, fighting his nerves all the way. Sam was standing in front of the door with Michelle and Kamran alongside him.

"Good morning, G," Sam said, offering an encouraging smile to his partner.

"Hey Sam." Callen smiled back feebly. "Come on in." He stood aside and watched as Sam ushered his wife and daughter through the front entranceway.

"Hi Michelle…Kamran…" He was barely able to keep his voice steady when he uttered the name of the youngest member of the Hanna family.

"Hello, Callen." Michelle's heart immediately went out to him as she drew him in for a hug. He just looked so vulnerable. "Everything's going to be alright," she whispered into his ear.

They stood awkwardly in the living room until Callen spoke. "Would you like to sit down?" he asked quietly.

Michelle took a seat on the sofa and Sam then sat beside her. Kamran remained standing and looked up at Callen. He took a step towards her, wondering if she would shy away from him, but she remained still. He saw the slight bruising over her nose and felt his heartbeat speeding up, but suddenly it was no longer Kamran he was seeing, but some of the many children who had been a part of his life in foster care. There bad been Jennifer Donovan, who had suffered a fractured jaw; Melissa Anderson, with her black eye and badly swollen cheek; Lisa McDonald, a broken arm and leg; Brian Olson, a skull fracture; and Scotty Wilson; who had been beaten into a coma and had never recovered…just a few of the names and faces that would always be a part of him.

"Uncle Callen?" Kamran's voice finally broke through his reverie. He looked down at her, suddenly aware that his eyes were brimming over and tears were trickling down his cheeks.

"Kamran…" Callen shook his head, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the moment. "I'm so sorry…I never meant to hurt you…"

"I'm okay now," she said softly. "I know you didn't mean it. I...I was upset at first, but I know now that you would never hurt me on purpose."

"I wouldn't, but I'm still so sorry that it happened…"

"It's okay…I forgive you…" Kamran tentatively took a step closer to him then opened up her arms. Callen, just as tentatively, reached for her and hugged her very gently.

"It's okay," Kamran repeated. She rested the side of her face against his torso and tightened her grip on him. "I love you, Uncle Callen."

"I love you too," he said, kissing the top of her head.

Watching his partner and daughter, two of the most important people in his life, put this latest emotional crisis behind them, did Sam's heart good. He smiled at his wife, who was clutching his hand tightly and sighed, hopeful that things were finally going to begin an uphill course.


	50. Chapter 50

"You okay, G?" Sam asked. He put his arm around his partner's shoulder and guided him off to the side of the room where they could speak quietly for a moment.

Callen nodded. "Yeah…I'm good."

Callen studied the other man closely. "You look tired," he said observantly. "Aren't you sleeping?"

Callen shrugged. "I'm sleeping alright."

"Nightmares?"

"I just have a headache. It's not a big deal."

Sam wondered if he had spoken with a professional yet, but doubted it as it was the weekend. In any case, he thought it was maybe good for G to have a little break from the constant attention from medical personnel. He knew his partner was tired of all the fuss. "So…what do you say to coming back to our place?"

Callen sighed as he considered his partner's request. "I don't know, Sam," he finally said. "I think I'm just going to stay here."

Sam looked at Callen in surprise. "Really?" he asked.

Callen nodded. "Yeah…it seems kind of silly to just keep moving back and forth. I'm settled now so I'm good with staying here. Anyhow, hopefully, it won't be too long before Hetty loosens the reins and lets me go home."

"Oh…" Sam said, appearing a little bit disappointed at Callen's decision.

"Come on, Sam," Callen said. "I'm sure you can use some alone time with your family without having me intruding."

Sam shook his head. "You wouldn't be intruding. You should know by now that we've never been anything but glad to have you stay with us, G."

"I do know that," Callen said with a nod. "And I appreciate it more than you know, but it doesn't mean that some family time without me hanging around, wouldn't be a good thing."

"Well, it's your decision," Sam said quietly. "The offer's always there if you change your mind."

"I know it is," Callen said, "And I'm very grateful for that."

xxxxx

"So, I wonder what's going on…what do you think is happening?" Kensi asked softly as she put her hand into the bucket of popcorn on Deeks' lap and took a small portion which she put into her mouth. The two were seated comfortably in reclining leather chairs and there were only a handful of other people in the theater.

"Don't you want to at least wait until the coming attractions begin?" Deeks asked in amusement. "You won't have any left to eat during the movie."

"Didn't you see the sign? Free refills," Kensi said with a teasing smile.

"Free refills that I'm going to have to get," Deeks said, "probably during an extremely exciting moment in the movie. But back to your question, you mean what do I think is going on with Callen and Kamran?"

"Yes…do you think everything's going alright between them?"

Deke considered his answer before he began to speak slowly. "I think everything will be okay. Kids are resilient. I think Kam will realize what happened was an accident and she'll let him off the hook. She's not a baby. She's a bright girl. She should be able to realize it wasn't his fault."

"I hope so," Kensi said, sighing softly. "Callen doesn't need any more stuff to deal with. He's been through enough."

"He'll be okay," Deeks clasped Kensi's hand in his and squeezed it gently.

Kensi nodded as she rested her head against the back of her chair, and turned her attention to the big screen, as the first of the coming attractions began to play.

xxxxx

"Kam, honey, It's time for us to head home," Michelle said to her daughter who was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the television. She thought that Callen appeared tired and he probably needed to get some rest.

Kamran picked up the remote control and turned off the television then got to her feet. "Do you want to play Unwanted Tales when we get home?" she asked Callen, turning to him with a smile. "I haven't played anymore so it's still in the same place where we left off."

"Uh…"

"Kamran, Uncle Callen isn't coming home with us," Sam began. "He's going to stay here with Deeks and Kensi."

"What?" Kamran's smile immediately vanished as her eyes went from her father then back to Callen. "But…I don't understand. Everything's alright now. Why don't you want to come to our house?"

"I just…" Callen tried to come up with an answer that would satisfy her, but his mind was totally blank.

"He doesn't have to give you a reason, Kamran," Michelle said, trying to get Callen off the hook. "He can stay wherever he likes."

"You like it here better than being with us?" Kamran asked. "Is this because I thought bad things about you after what happened? I didn't mean them. I'm really sorry."

"No, it's not that, Kam," Callen said, attempting to reassure her.

"Then why? Isn't my dad your best friend? Why don't you want to stay with us?"

"Your dad has been away for a long time, Kam, and it was mostly because of me. You deserve to have family time with just him and your mom. It's best that way."

"I don't think that's best," Kam insisted stubbornly. She turned to her parents. "You want him to come home with us, don't you?"

Listening to the way Kamran was speaking, Callen couldn't help but feel like he was a puppy or kitten that she wanted to adopt.

"Of course we'd like him to come, but he has the right to stay wherever he'd like," Sam said firmly. "He's settled in here, Kam. It's not your place to be telling him what to do. Now come on, we're going home."

"It's not fair," Kamran said, tears welling in her eyes. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't gone in his room, none of this ever would have happened and he never would have left our house and come here."

"That will be quite enough out of you, young lady," Michelle said. As far as she was concerned, Kamran was much too old to be acting this way. "We are leaving, NOW."

Callen found that he was more than a little bit affected by the sight of Kamran's tears. "Maybe…" he began.

Sam shook his head. "No, G. We're not giving in to her on this. You made it clear this is where you want to be for now. She's not a baby. She isn't going to cry to get her way."

Kamran, listening to every word her father was saying, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand though she was still pouting.

"Bye Callen," Michelle smiled at him and gave him a hug. "Please don't feel bad," she whispered to him. "Trust me, she's perfectly fine."

"You take care of yourself, partner," Sam said, hugging Callen as well. "If you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate to call, okay?"

"Thanks, Sam."

"Goodbye, Uncle Callen," Kamran said, giving him a woebegone look. "I feel very bad that what happened made you come here instead of staying with us where you belong where I could have played games with you and even baked you cookies."

Callen couldn't help but feel guilty. "Maybe…"

"No!" Sam and Michelle said in unison.

"Bye," Kamran said, hugging him tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kam," Callen said, returning her embrace. "I'll come and see you in a day or two, okay?"

She nodded. "Okay…thank you. That would be very nice."

"See you later, G," Sam said as he ushered his wife and daughter out the door before Kamran could protest anymore.

"Bye." Callen watched as they made their way to Michelle's vehicle and then he closed the door and seated himself on the living room sofa with a sigh. He really hadn't expected that to turn into such a ruckus. At least things were better with him and Kamran now. He felt a little guilty that he hadn't gone back to Sam's, but in all honesty, he felt more like himself being here with Kensi and Deeks. He knew the Hanna family only wanted the best for him, but they tended to go overboard with trying to take care of him and being here he felt more independent. He also thought that Sam could use a break although he knew his partner would never admit it. They'd been practically attached at the hip since the plane crash and Callen hadn't been lying when he said Sam and his family deserved some time together without him hanging around.

Callen still had a headache so he got a pillow and blanket from his room and stretched out on the sofa. Now that the stress over seeing Kamran had been relieved, he was finally able to relax and he fell asleep very quickly. Unfortunately, the ringing of the doorbell woke him after only about 20 minutes of sleep. "Dammit," he muttered as he tossed the blanket aside and got up from the couch. Was it really too much to ask to get a little bit of peace and quiet? He went to the front door and stopped short when he saw who was standing out on the front porch. "Dammit, Hetty," he said to himself. "Why can't you just keep out of things?"

He put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door then crossed his arms over his chest, his blue eyes, steely and cold, as he stared at the unwelcome visitor. "What do you want, Nate?" he asked.


	51. Chapter 51

"Wow…I can't say that was much of a greeting," Nate said, smiling amiably. "It's good to see you too, Callen."

"Oh, sorry, but I'm not really up to turning cartwheels, Nate," Callen replied sarcastically. "What are you doing here?"

"Hetty asked if I would come and see you," Nate said calmly. "Can I come in?"

"Actually, no. I'd rather you didn't," Callen said. "I was sleeping before you came by unannounced. I'd appreciate it if you left."

"Come on, Callen. I don't think Hetty will be too happy about this."

"You know what, Nate? I really don't care," Callen said with a humorless smirk.

"Just a few minutes of your time is all I'm asking for. Can't you please just give me a chance? I'd like to try to work things out."

Callen didn't budge. He just stood, blocking the doorway, staring back at Nate coldly.

"Okay, fine…I am going to tell Hetty about this, you know. It's not helping you to keep things buried inside. If you don't talk to me, you're going to have to talk to someone else. Your choice."

Callen said nothing. He just watched as Nate finally turned around and headed down the walkway to where his car was parked by the curb. He didn't take his eyes off the other man until he had gotten into his car and drove away. Then he walked back inside and stretched out on the sofa once again. This time, however, he found sleep to be elusive and he laid there wide awake, unable to escape the many thoughts that were bouncing around inside his head.

xxxxx

"I wasn't too happy with your behavior back there, Kamran," Michelle said to her daughter who was sitting in the back seat. "You know better than that."

"He was going to change his mind if it hadn't been for you and daddy," Kamran retorted.

"You were just being manipulative," Sam said quietly. "You knew Uncle Callen would feel bad if you turned on the tears."

"He's better off staying with us," Kamran insisted. "We can take care of him better than Kensi and Deeks. They just left him alone to go off to the movies. We wouldn't do that."

Sam thought about what she said and chuckled softly. "No. You're right, we wouldn't."

"What is it, Sam?" Michelle asked, glancing at her husband.

"That's why he decided to stay where he was. They're not overdoing it with the TLC."

Michelle smiled. "You're probably right."

"Well, whatever gets him better fastest is good with me," Sam said. If a little bit of freedom was what it took, that was fine. He had to admit that he did tend to overdo it with taking care of Callen, especially recently, but he justified it by saying it was just because his partner had just gone through so much. It was hard not to be overly protective after all that had happened.

"Maybe we can invite the three of them for dinner tomorrow, Callen, Deeks and Kensi," Michelle suggested.

Sam nodded. "That's a good idea."

"That's a very good idea," Kamran piped up from the back.

xxxxx

"Hey Callen," Kensi greeted him as she crutched into the living room ahead of Deeks. He was sitting on the sofa, with a bunched up blanket beside him, not looking particularly happy. "Did things not go well with Kamran?" She put her crutches to the side and sat down on the sofa next to the team leader, looking at him curiously.

"Huh?" Callen shook his head. "No… I mean, yeah, things went okay with her. "

"Something's wrong though," Deeks said, plopping down in a chair and eying the other man observantly.

"Nate came by," Callen stated.

"Nate? Really?" Deeks asked. "How'd he even know you were here?"

"The same way everyone always finds out stuff. The same way he knew my name and other things he shouldn't have known," Callen stated.

"Hetty?" Kensi asked softly.

"Who else?" Callen asked.

"So…what did he say?" Deeks asked.

"Not much," Callen said with a smirk. "I kicked him out."

"Really?" Deeks asked as he and Kensi exchanged a look. "That probably didn't go over well."

"Yeah well, I don't particularly care," Callen said. "He shows up here on a Sunday afternoon with no notice, knowing damn well that I wouldn't be happy about it. God forbid Hetty make a phone call to try to explain whatever the hell she's thinking. No, she just sends him here without telling me and thinks I'm going to pour out all my deepest, darkest secrets to him. Well, it's not happening."

Unsure of what to say, both Deeks and Kensi remained silent. A few moments later, Callen glanced at them, realizing he wasn't exactly being a good houseguest. "So…did you two have a good time at the movies?"

Kensi nodded. "I did. The movie might have been a little too gory for Deeks," she said with a giggle.

"That wasn't my issue with it," Deeks defended himself. "The acting was horrendous. Most of the criminals we've arrested could have done a better job."

"I think I'm going to go upstairs and rest for a while," Callen said, hoping he could kill two birds with one stone, get rid of the headache that was still persisting and give the couple some time to themselves.

"Okay…take it easy, Callen," Deeks said, he then turned to Kensi after Callen had left the room. "Hetty is going to be pissed."

"Callen's right though, she could have at least given him a heads up. She had to know he wouldn't be happy to be blindsided like that."

"And now, nobody's happy," Deeks said with a sigh, wondering what would happen next. He didn't have long to wait. About an hour later, as he and Kensi sat cuddled together, contentedly watching television, the doorbell rang. "Care to make a wager?" he asked as he got to his feet.

"No bet," Kensi said, watching him as he walked to the door.

Deeks opened the front door and stood aside so Hetty could come inside. "Hello, Mr. Deeks," she said as she entered the foyer. "How are you this fine Sunday afternoon?"

"We're fine, Hetty." He shook his head behind her back as she entered the living room.

"Hello, Ms. Blye," Hetty said, smiling at the other woman. "Sorry to barge in without notice."

"Really?" Deeks asked, looking at her incredulously. "If you were really sorry, Hetty, you wouldn't have done it."

"Problem, Mr. Deeks?" Hetty asked, turning to face him.

"I just…" he shook his head. "Never mind. What can we do for you?"

"I've come to see Mr. Callen," Hetty said, "Unless he has once more hit the road in search of a new location. Perhaps he's staying with Mr. Beale this time?"

"He's here," Kensi answered softly. "He's resting though. You probably shouldn't disturb him."

"Your attempt to protect him is admirable, however misguided," Hetty said. "I doubt he either needs or wants your protection." She headed determinedly in the direction of the stairs.

"Come on, Hetty," Deeks said. "Can't you just wait down here until he wakes up? I'll make you some tea. He sleeps little enough. Give the guy a break."

Hetty ignored Deeks and continued on towards Callen's room.

"This is just swell," Deeks said, shaking his head

xxxxx

Hetty quietly opened the door to Callen's room and peered inside. When she saw Callen, burrowed in a nest of blankets and seemingly peacefully asleep, some of the anger that had been festering inside her since Nate's call seeped away. She had been all set to go in there like gang busters, wake him and read him the riot act, but now she reconsidered. She would never say it to him, but whenever she saw him asleep this way, he exhibited a vulnerability that reminded her of when he was a boy. Of course, even then, he had always tried to keep his emotions under wraps, but sometimes he would let his guard down and allow her a glimpse into his true feelings. He'd been through such a lot. She didn't have the heart to add to his woes. She quietly closed the door and headed back down to the living room.

"Oh," Deeks looked at Hetty in surprise when she came back down the stairs. "I didn't expect to see you back so soon."

"I decided to take you up on your offer for tea, Mr. Deeks," she said as she seated herself in a chair by the sofa.

"Uh okay…You didn't kill Callen, did you?" he asked, giving her a weak smile. Hetty stared back at him expressionlessly.

"Deeks," Kensi whispered, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Yeah…too much. Sorry," Deeks said. "What kind of tea would you like? Chamomile, chai, Earl Grey, green tea, ginger tea, peppermint…"

"Surprise me," Hetty said.

"You've got it." Deeks headed into the kitchen, leaving Kensi and Hetty alone.

"So, Ms. Blye, how does it feel being back home?" Hetty asked. "You look quite well."

"I'm feeling good, Hetty," Kensi said. "Deeks and I been getting out a little bit. Things are going well, we're starting to feel more normal."

"And you are still seeing the orthopedic physician tomorrow?"

Kensi nodded. "Yes, I have an 11 o'clock appointment."

"And Mr. Callen? How is he doing?"

Kensi considered her words carefully before replying. "He seems like he's improving," she said. "Deeks relates well to him. I think it's good for him."

"Hmm…" Hetty said. "That may be, however, Mr. Deeks is not a psychological specialist. No matter how well everyone thinks Mr. Callen is doing, the fact remains that he needs to see someone more qualified to help him."

Kensi shook her head. "I'm really not comfortable discussing this, Hetty…You should talk to Callen about it, not me."

Hetty nodded. "Yes, of course, you're right, I apologize for making you uncomfortable, Ms. Blye."

"It's okay, Hetty."

The two women were quiet for a few moments and then Deeks reentered the room, carefully carrying a cup of tea. "I decided on peppermint," Deeks said as he handed the tea to Hetty. "If you don't like it, I can make you something different."

"Oh I'm sure that this is fine," Hetty said as she took the tea from Deeks. She took a small sip and nodded in approval. "This is very good indeed. Now please, why don't you take a seat and join us."

"Yeah, okay. Sure." Deeks sat down next to Kensi and gazed back at Hetty, unsuccessfully trying to think of something to say. Luckily, Monty chose that moment to come into the room. "Hey Monty, come here boy," Deeks called to the dog who eagerly went to him. "Hey boy, how you doing? Look who came to see us." He patted his dog and playfully ruffled his fur.

Hetty looked towards the staircase and wondered how long Callen would be asleep. He never slept for very long. She couldn't imagine today would be any different.

xxxxx

Once again, Callen's peaceful sleep evolved into something that was anything but peaceful…Darkness, a sense of being alone, of unspeakable terror. He awoke panicked and trembling all over. It was only just beginning to get dark, but he quickly flicked on the switch on the lamp, bathing the room in light as he tried to calm down and slow his breathing. "Why is this happening?" he asked himself. He knew the feelings weren't going away. If anything, they were intensifying. Thinking he would feel better in the company of Kensi and Deeks, he pushed aside the covers and got out of bed, then headed downstairs.

He stopped short near the bottom of the stairs when he saw Hetty sitting in the living room. His first instinct was to turn around and hightail it back upstairs, but it was too late. She had already seen him. "Welcome, Mr. Callen," she said, smiling at him.

"Hello, Hetty," he said, making his way down the rest of the staircase. "I didn't expect to see you here." It wasn't exactly the truth. He had expected her. He just hadn't been sure when she would arrive. He'd hoped she would have waited until the following day. He should have known better.

"I had a call from Nate…" she began as Callen made his way into the living room.

"Uh…I'm going to start on dinner," Deeks said, directing his attention to Callen. "Is there anything in particular you want?"

Callen shook his head. "No…anything's fine."

"I'll help you, Deeks," Kensi said, her eagerness to escape obvious as she grabbed her crutches and quickly made her way out of the living room behind Deeks.

"Guess we cleared the room pretty fast," Callen commented as he took a seat on the now abandoned sofa. "So, you had a call from Nate? That's funny, I had a visit from him. Totally unexpected."

"You could have given him a chance," Hetty said.

"Why?" Callen asked, his expression angry. "Couldn't you have at least warned me, Hetty? I had no idea you were going to sic him on me like that. You didn't even give me a chance to think about how I wanted to handle things, if I wanted to maybe see someone else. I've only been home a few days, for God's sake. Can't you just give me a chance to breathe?"

Hetty saw how upset he was by what she had done, much more so than she would have thought. At that point she decided to back off just a little bit. "You do need to see someone, Mr. Callen," she said quietly. "Sooner rather than later. If not Mr. Getz, then you need to find someone else who is qualified to help you."

Callen sighed as he stared down at the floor. He wanted to say he didn't need to see anyone, that he could handle it on his own, but he wasn't doing a very good job of that so far. The nightmares and fear of the dark he was experiencing made that very clear. He didn't think he particularly trusted Nate, not after all he had done, but he didn't really want to start over with a new person. It's not like he would easily trust him or her either. "I'll see Nate," he said, so softly that Hetty barely heard his words. "But I have some things I need to discuss with him first…After that, I'll decide if I can try to work with him or not…"

Hetty nodded. "All right. That's fair. When would be a good time to speak with him?"

Callen hesitated for a few long moments then answered. "Tomorrow. He can come here at 11. Kensi and Deeks have appointments so we'll be able to talk freely."

"Very well, tomorrow morning it is. I'm going to be on my way now." She stood up and Callen followed suit to walk her out to her car. Hetty opened her car door and turned to look up at him. "I am sorry for what happened today," she said. "I realize now it was a mistake to send Nate here without warning you beforehand."

"It's alright," Callen said softly, "but just so you know, I'm not making any promises about tomorrow. I…I'll just see how it goes. I…I'm really not sure that I can trust him." He shook his head, memories of what had happened with the operational psychologist vividly coming into focus.

"I understand," Hetty said as she got into her vehicle. "Tell Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye I said goodbye. I'll be in touch."

Callen closed Hetty's car door and watched as she drove off. He then turned around and headed back to the house, his mind now filled with a whole new set of things to worry about.


	52. Chapter 52

"Something wrong with the omelet?" Deeks asked, his eyes on Callen who was mostly just moving pieces of it around on the plate with his fork.

Callen shook his head. "No, it's really good." He forced himself to put some of it in his mouth.

Deeks frowned briefly, knowing what it felt like to not be hungry and to have people nagging at you to eat. "You don't have to eat it," he said.

"Deeks," Kensi said, sending him a warning look. "He should eat. He hasn't eaten hardly anything since yesterday." She knew that the previous day he had picked at both breakfast and dinner and she doubted he had eaten anything in between. He was still recovering. She knew Deeks was against coddling Callen, but she wasn't going to let him get worse under their watch either.

"I'm right here, guys," Callen said, glancing at Kensi and then Deeks. "Don't worry. I'm going to eat." Last thing he wanted to do was to cause trouble between his friends. He seemed to be disrupting every household he entered. He took another forkful of the omelet which he admitted was good. He just didn't feel like eating. His mind was on Nate's upcoming visit which he wasn't looking forward to in the least. "So, what time are you guys leaving?" he asked.

"We probably should leave by 10:15 in case we hit traffic," Deeks replied. "Plus, I'm not too sure how parking is at the medical center."

Callen nodded and tried to focus his attention on the omelet once again. Just then, Deeks' cell phone rang.

"Hey Sam," Deeks said as he clicked on his phone. "How's it going?" He listened to whatever Sam was saying and put the phone down. "Hey, you guys want to go have dinner with Sam and his family tonight?"

Kensi turned to Callen before answering. He nodded quickly. Kensi smiled. "I guess that's a yes."

"Yeah, Sam, we can come. What time? Okay, we'll see you then." Deeks clicked off the phone and turned to Kensi and Callen. "Six o'clock," he said.

"He didn't want to talk to me?" Callen asked, somehow feeling disappointed by that.

"No…why, do you want to talk to him?" Deeks asked. "You can use my phone."

Callen shook his head. "No…that's fine. I don't know why Hetty hasn't assigned me a new phone," he grumbled. He wasn't sure why he was bothered by the fact that Sam hadn't asked to speak with him. He had wanted some space, which his partner was giving him, and now he wasn't happy with that either.

"So much has been going on. Maybe it just slipped Hetty's mind," Kensi said.

"Things don't slip her mind," Callen said.

"I'm sure if you ask her, she'll give you one," Deeks said. It was obvious that Callen wasn't in a very good mood. He hoped things didn't go badly with Nate, but he wasn't really hopeful that they were going to go particularly well.

"It's going to be okay, Callen," Kensi said softly, looking at him through sympathetic eyes.

Callen nodded and managed to give Kensi a trace of a smile. "I know…you two should get going…"

"He's right," Deeks said before turning to Callen. "You going to be okay here?"

"Of course," Callen said. "Good luck."

"Good luck to you too," Kensi replied as she and Deeks headed out. After they left, Callen cleared the table and washed the breakfast dishes. He then went into the living room to wait for Nate to arrive.

xxxxx

When the doorbell rang, Callen took a deep breath and slowly exhaled in an attempt to get himself together. He then walked to the door and opened it, allowing Nate to enter.

"Hey Callen," Nate said, gazing at the other man as he stepped inside. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Callen said, allowing Nate to go ahead of him into the living room. "Sit wherever you'd like."

Nate shook his head, wanting to allow Callen the opportunity to sit where he would feel the most comfortable. "It doesn't matter to me…you sit."

Callen sighed as his gaze wandered over the living room. Finally, he settled on the chair. He sat, then crossed his arms over his chest, watching as Nate sat on the sofa.

"So…Hetty said you had some things you wanted to discuss…" Nate finally said, breaking what had turned into a long silence between the two men.

Callen shook his head, already becoming aggravated. "I think you know what I want to talk about, Nate. You may be a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"The JDX case…"

"Ya think?" Callen asked, staring coldly at the other man.

"I apologized for all that Callen…I…"

"No you didn't," Callen interrupted.

"I didn't what?" Nate asked, looking a bit bewildered.

"You didn't apologize, Nate, not to me. You were upset that you almost screwed up the case, but you never said you were sorry. You admitted that you had a lot to learn, but we never really talked about what happened."

"Pretty sure I did apologize…" Nate said, thinking back to the aftermath of case, when they had managed to successfully wrap it up.

"I'm sure I would remember that," Callen stated. "Or maybe my brain was too waterlogged…"

Nate blanched at the reference and he looked down at the floor for a few moments before looking back at Callen. "You had mentioned experiencing that before in the past…you said you'd been able to get through it. I didn't think it would be that rough on you."

"So, since I got shot in the past, would that have been okay too?" Callen snapped. "Maybe only use two or three bullets instead of five?"

"No… No, of course not." Nate shook his head. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"Well, that wasn't exactly my idea of a good time. But, it's not about the waterboarding, not only that, anyway. It's what you said, Nate… that's my main problem with you."

"Go on."

"My name, for starters, mentioning it like it was nothing…throwing around things I told you…confidential things that you had no business mentioning to anyone, especially not to some psychopathic woman who would have killed both of us if we hadn't killed her first. You know my history Nate…you know that would not have been okay with me."

Nate shook his head. "You're right…I shouldn't have said those things. I just…I said what I had to, what I thought would get us out of the situation without getting us killed."

"So how am I to know you wouldn't do that again, Nate?" Callen asked. "If you did it once, why wouldn't you do it again?"

"I wouldn't."

"And I'm supposed to just take your word on that? Why is it different now? If we were in some other dangerous situation, how can I believe you wouldn't use what I've told you against me?"

"You just need to trust that I wouldn't, Callen…I realize that I was wrong…dead wrong."

"And you didn't realize it before?" Callen asked. "You thought it was okay?" He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know, Nate… I'd like to say I can just put it all behind me, but…I just don't know that I can…Trust is something that needs to be earned. I used to trust you before. Now? I just can't get there."

"So that's it then?" Nate asked.

Callen shrugged. "I don't know…I guess I have to think about it…"

"Well…if it means anything at all, I am sorry, for everything that happened, Callen. And, if you decide to let someone else try to help you, I really hope it works out for you. No matter what you might think, I only wish the best for you."

Callen looked into Nate's eyes for a long moment and nodded. "I do believe that, Nate…"

"Okay, I'm going to get out of here," Nate said as he got to his feet. "You take care of yourself. You can let me or Hetty know when you've made your decision."

"I'll do that." The two men then shook hands tentatively and Nate headed out as Callen sunk back down into the chair. That hadn't been as bad as he had imagined, but he still didn't really know what he was going to do.

xxxxx

"It looks like your ankle is beginning to heal," Dr. Fletcher said to Kensi as he studied the x-ray closely. "I'll see you again in four weeks. We'll x-ray it again and with any luck you'll be getting out of that cast then. Until then, just keep doing what you're doing."

"Thanks, Doctor," Kensi said. She couldn't help but feel a little bit discouraged even though she had already been aware of the timeline. She supposed she had been hoping for some kind of weird miracle that had healed her ankle in record time, but that just wasn't the case.

She left the doctor's office and made her way down the hall to the sports clinic where Deeks was having his first physical therapy session. No sooner had she taken a seat in the waiting room and opened up a magazine, when Deeks came out.

"Hey baby," he said, leaning down to give her a kiss. "How'd everything go with the doctor?"

"It went just as I expected," Kensi replied. "I'll see him again in four weeks and hopefully lose this cast. How about you? How was PT?"

"You know the drill," Deeks said. "They stretched me in ways I'm pretty sure my muscles were not meant to be stretched. Aside from that, no big deal."

"Aww…poor baby," Kensi cooed teasingly as she got up and balanced herself on the crutches.

"I am a poor baby," Deeks said with a grin. "You want to grab some lunch somewhere?"

Kensi nodded. "Sure…what about Callen? Should we go by the house and grab him?"

Deeks nodded. "That's a good idea. If Nate is still there, we'll just bring him back something. I think it would be good for him to go out though."

"At least we have dinner at Sam's later," Kensi said, "but you're right. It would definitely be good for him to get out. I think we should go to the beach. He's so pale. Some sunshine and fresh air would be good for him."

"The beach it is," said Deeks.

xxxxx

"So…how'd it go with Nate?" Deeks finally asked. The three team members were seated at a round table by the beach, munching on burgers, fries and shakes. It had been like pulling teeth to get Callen to accompany them, but now that they were here, he was eating and appeared to be enjoying himself, as far as Deeks could tell.

Callen shrugged as he finished chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth. "Nate said all the right things," he admitted. "But…I don't know…I'm still not really sure what to do."

"It's an important decision," Kensi said before taking a sip of her shake. "You need to take your time and make sure you feel good about it."

"I can't take too long though," Callen said. "Hetty won't stand for it."

Deeks and Kensi both nodded at his words. They had to admit that he was right about that.

"How about you two?" Callen asked, not wanting everything to be about him. "How did your appointments go?"

"Nothing we weren't expecting," said Kensi. "Another four weeks in the cast for me and Deeks was tortured by the physical therapist."

"Some of those PT people can be pretty rough," Callen said, nodding in agreement. "I've run into one or two before who were positively brutal."

"Exactly!" said Deeks, giving an 'I told you so' look to Kensi who rolled her eyes.

Callen settled back and munched on his French fries, content to listen to them banter back and forth. He had to admit that he hadn't particularly wanted to go out, but now that he was out of the house, he was glad that he had let them talk him into it.

xxxxx

"Uncle Callen! I've missed you so much," Kamran said as she hugged Callen tightly.

"I just saw you yesterday, Kam," Callen murmured with a smile, but he had to admit he was pleased by her reaction to him.

"Hey, G, How you doing?" Sam said, pulling him into a hug.

"I'm doing alright, Sam. How are you?"

"Can't complain," Sam said, releasing his partner and greeting Kensi and Deeks as Michelle hugged Callen and kissed his cheek.

"There's cheese and crackers in the living room," Michelle said. "Dinner will be ready in about a half hour."

"Can we do anything to help?" Deeks asked.

Michelle shook her head. "Everything's all set. Just sit down and relax."

"Uncle Callen! Do you want to play with me?" Kam asked eagerly.

"Not now, Kamran," Sam said. "Maybe after dinner. I'd like to talk to him right now."

"Okay, fine," Kamran said with a sigh.

"Callen, are you Kam's friend or Sam's," Deeks asked in amusement as he placed some cheese and crackers on a small plate for him and Kensi to share.

"Come sit down, G," Sam said, directing his partner to the sofa. "I feel like we never get a chance to talk anymore."

Callen gladly did as Sam wanted and sat down on the sofa. Although he thought he was in the best place for him at the moment, he missed his partner more than he wanted to admit.

"So what's up? How was your day?" Sam asked him.

I went for lunch on the beach with Kensi and Deeks," Callen said. "It was nice."

Sam nodded. "Sounds nice. Probably good for you to get out."

"Yeah…yeah it was," said Callen. Then, almost as an afterthought he added casually. "Oh yeah, Nate came by this morning."

"Seriously?" Sam asked. "What the hell, G. You don't think that was important?"

"I told you, didn't I?" Callen asked.

"What did he want? What did he say?"

"He wants to work with me on my issues, at Hetty's suggestion, of course."

"Of course," Sam said with a sigh. "What did you tell him?" He didn't think it was a particularly good idea. He hadn't known what to think when Nate had nabbed Callen. He had feared for his partner's life and still wasn't sure what he thought about the man. They hadn't had to work with him at all since that case and he still didn't even know if he wanted to.

"Nothing…" Callen said, with a shake of his head. "I don't really know what I want to do, Sam."

"You really think you can trust him after what happened?" Sam asked, gazing at Callen intently.

Callen shrugged. "I just don't know, Sam…. But…I do have to talk to somebody," he admitted, looking down, almost as if he was ashamed of that fact.

"Come on, G…lots of people have to. I've had to…Deeks… Hell, probably even Hetty…"

"Yeah, I know. I just don't like having to rehash my life, Sam… Nate already knows it all, at least. Well except for the new stuff. In some ways, it might be easier than talking to a stranger."

"If you can trust him," said Sam.

"Yeah," Callen said, nodding. "If I can trust him…"


	53. Chapter 53

_Tonight Uncle Callen came over with Kensi and Deeks for dinner. It was fun. He played my video game with me and Deeks made everyone laugh. He is really funny. Maybe that's why Uncle Callen wants to stay with them instead of us? I am still disappointed by that, but I guess there's nothing I can do. I know daddy is his best friend but maybe there is just something wrong that I don't know about. It's not like grownups talk to kids about this kind of stuff even though I bet I could help._

Kamran tucked her journal into its hiding spot and turned out the light.

xxxxx

"That was a nice evening," Michelle said, smiling at Sam who was just entering the living room after doing the dishes which he had insisted upon. "We should do it more often."

Sam nodded as he sat on the sofa next to his wife and put his arm around her. "Yeah, we should," he said, but his eyes appeared distant.

"Sam?" Michelle looked up at him curiously. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head.

"Come on, you can't fool me," Michelle said.

Sam sighed softly. "Just something G said earlier…"

"Go on," Michelle encouraged.

"He's thinking of seeing Nate to help him with what he's going through."

"But…don't you want him to talk with someone?" Michelle asked, looking confused. "And you like Nate, right?"

Sam shrugged.

"You don't like Nate?" she asked. "Since when?"

"I didn't really say that," Sam said. "Nate…he's fine. It's just…I don't particularly trust him and I'm pretty sure G doesn't either. I think it's a bad idea."

"Oh…I always assumed you all were tight."

"We were."

Michelle didn't say anything, but continued to look at her husband with the look she had that always made him talk. Finally, he gave in and she smiled to herself.

"It was a case we had last year…Nate was undercover. He got in over his head and he nabbed Callen."

"But he was undercover, right?" Michelle asked. "It was all just part of the act?"

Sam shook his head. "No…there was more to it than that…" He thought back to a couple of days after the end of the case. He'd come back to his desk after a workout in the gym and there had been a report on his desk…Callen's report. He'd looked around for his partner and saw that he was sitting with Hetty in her office. He'd then opened the report and started to read.

_Sam stared at his partner as Callen returned to his desk and sat down. "What?" Callen asked, noting the way Sam was looking at him. "What's going on?"_

_"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Sam said, shaking his head. "Were you ever going to tell me?"_

_"Tell you what?" Callen asked, his familiar smirk on his face. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about, Sam."_

_"This." Sam picked up the report and held it up in the air. "Nate."_

_Callen got up from his desk and walked over to Sam then grabbed the report out of his hand, his eyes dark with anger. "Where did you get this? It's none of your business, Sam."_

_"It was on my desk, G. I assumed you left it there for me to read."_

_"Well, I didn't," Callen snapped. His eyes went to Hetty's office, but the diminutive woman was no longer there. "Hetty."_

_"Sounds about right," Sam said with a nod. "I guess she thought I needed to read it for some reason."_

_"Fine. You read it." Callen made a move to go back to his own desk but Sam quickly grabbed his arm._

_"I think we should talk about it," Sam said, taking care to keep his voice quiet._

_"I don't need to talk about it, Sam," Callen had said, pulling away from his partner and returning to his desk._

Sam had let Callen go and dropped the subject, deciding to bide his time. The two men had carpooled in together that day. He knew he'd have another chance to try again on their way home.

_"So…" Sam began right after he'd pulled the Challenger away from OSP._

_"It's been a long day, Sam," Callen said, turning his head to stare out the passenger window._

_"He waterboarded you, G?" Sam asked, unwilling to let it go this time._

_Callen sighed. "No big deal."_

_Angry, Sam had pulled into the parking lot of a local discount store. "No big deal? Really G? You look me in the eyes and say that again."_

_Callen looked at his partner for a brief few moments but then dropped his gaze. "I'm fine, Sam…I got through it. Don't worry about it."_

_"Don't you get it, G? I do worry about it," Sam said, staring at his partner intently. "I worry about_ _**you** _ _."_

_"I know you do…but trust me, I'm okay."_

_"Fine…but just remember that I'm here for you if you ever do want to talk about it."_

_"I will, Sam… Thanks."_

_"You're welcome."_

Sam had let it go, but had managed to get bits and pieces out of Callen over time, the confidential things Nate had thoughtlessly said… things he had no right mentioning. Sam knew there was no way in hell that didn't bother his partner a lot more than he was saying.

"So why didn't you tell me about this before?" Michelle asked, bringing Sam back into the present.

"I don't know…G was so closed off about it. By the time he had really opened up, I guess I didn't see the point in bringing it up."

"So you really don't think Nate would be good for him?"

Sam shook his head. "No…of course it's his choice, not mine, but I don't think he'd be very good for him at all."

xxxxx

_"Where's the JDX, Callen?" Nate's voice was syrupy sweet as he spoke. "Tell me or I'll have my man kill one of your team. Who will it be? Sam? Kensi? Deeks?"_

_"I said I'd tell you, Nate," Callen said, a note of desperation in his voice. "Don't hurt any of them."_

_"Sorry, but you were just a little bit too late. Maybe you'll be quicker next time," Nate said gleefully. "Kill the woman."_

_Callen watched the screen in horror as Kensi was shot point blank in the head and Deeks went to pieces._

_Nate shook his head sadly. "Kill her boyfriend too. He's not going to want to live without her."_

_"What the hell are you doing, Nate?" Callen shouted as Deeks was killed the same way as Kensi. "What the hell have you done?"_

xxxxx

Callen awoke, deeply shaken, trying to convince himself it had all been just a bad dream, but not entirely sure that was true, until a knock sounded on the door and Deeks entered his room.

"Callen? Are you alright?" Deeks' blue eyes were filled with concern as he sat on the edge of the bed. He hadn't been sure he ought to come into the room, but Callen's persistent screams had more than convinced him it was the right thing to do. "That must have been a hell of a nightmare."

"Is…is Kensi okay?" Callen asked, his voice shaky.

"Kensi? She's fine," Deeks assured the other man.

"Okay…good," Callen said softly as he nodded, his eyes looking lost.

"You want to talk about it?" Deeks asked.

"No…not really."

"Maybe it would help."

"I'm beginning to think nothing's ever going to help," Callen whispered.

"Don't think that way." Deeks placed his hand on Callen's shoulder and patted it encouragingly. "You'll get through this, Callen. I know you can do it."

"Well, I'm glad you know it, Deeks," Callen said. "Because I certainly don't…"

"Have you thought any more about talking to someone?" Deeks asked.

Callen didn't say anything.

"Because I really think that Nate…"

"Can we not talk about it right now?" Callen asked, looking at Deeks pleadingly. "Actually, I think I'd like to try to get back to sleep if I can." It was the truth. All the broken sleep he'd been getting was making him extremely tired.

Deeks nodded as he got up from the bed. "Sure, Callen, whatever you want. Do you want something to drink? Some tea maybe or some water?

Callen pointed at the mostly full bottle of water on the nightstand. "I've got water, Deeks, but thanks…really. I'm sorry that I woke you and Kens."

"No problem… Get some sleep."

"Thanks…you too."

After Deeks left the room, Callen's thoughts went back to the nightmare. He knew it was only a dream, but it did make him wonder about what exactly his subconscious was telling him. He knew that sometimes there were risks associated with their job and sometimes he had been hurt, even at Sam's hand. Most notably, had been the case on the fifth anniversary of their partnership. Sam had been forced to punch him around a bit. After it was over, Sam had joked that he had pulled his punches and the two had returned to the office where they had stolen a bit of Hetty's scotch to toast to their partnership after she had left for the night. Following that, Sam had suggested dinner and the two had gone out for steaks which Sam had insisted on paying for. As the night had gone on, Callen had felt increasing soreness around his ribs and he knew he would have an impressive-appearing bruise to show for it.

_"G…you alright?" Sam's worried eyes had been closely watching his partner throughout the meal._

_"I'm good, Sam."_

_Sam shook his head. "You'd tell me if you're hurt, right?"_

_Callen nodded. "Of course I would."_

_They finished their meal and headed back out to the car for Sam to drive Callen home. Only he didn't drive him home._

_"Sam…what are you doing?" Callen asked, when it became obvious that Sam wasn't headed in the direction of his house._

_"I'm going home."_

_"What about_ _**my** _ _home?" Callen asked._

_"Relax, G," Sam said. "Your house will still be there tomorrow."_

_Callen shook his head . "I told you I was fine."_

_"I know what you told me."_

_"So what are you doing?"_

_"I got cupcakes."_

_"What?"_

_"Cupcakes, G. From Amanda's Bakery. To celebrate."_

_Callen gave his partner a skeptical look. "You're joking."_

_"Nope. I got cupcakes. I had Michelle pick them up for me earlier today."_

_"Well…you can bring them to work tomorrow, can't you?"_

_"They'll be fresher tonight. You're going to like them. I promise."_

_Realizing Sam wasn't going to back down, Callen settled down and relaxed for the remainder of the ride. It was late when they arrived at the Hanna home and Michelle and Kamran were already in bed for the night._

_"Have a seat, G," Sam said when they entered the living room. "I'll get the cupcakes." Sam left the living room and returned a few minutes later with an ice pack and sat next to Callen on the sofa. "Let me take a look at you."_

_Callen rolled his eyes. "Come on, Sam. Really? You made up a lie about cupcakes?"_

_"I wasn't lying. I just want to take a look at you first."_

_Callen gnawed on his lower lip and crossed his arms over his chest defensively._

_"Please?"_

_Finally, Callen relented and Sam gently raised his partner's shirt, cringing when he saw the multi-colored discoloration over Callen's abdominal area. "Damn, G… I am so sorry."_

_"I'm fine, Sam," Callen protested. "I'm sure it looks worse than it is."_

_Sam handed him the ice pack. "Here…"_

_"Thanks…" Callen took the ice pack from his partner, wincing as he gently placed it over the painful, bruised area._

_"Are you sure you don't need a doctor? I guess I hit you harder than I realized."_

_"It's bruised, Sam. I've had broken ribs before. This isn't that. Trust me."_

_"Okay…I'll get the cupcakes," Sam said._

_"You'd better not come back with Hetty and a medical bag," Callen called out as Sam retreated to the kitchen for a second time. This time, his partner really did return with a bakery box which he passed to Callen._

_Callen opened the box and looked inside. There were 11 cupcakes of varying kinds. "One of them is missing," Callen said with a grin as he looked at his partner._

_"Oh, I guess Kamran got into them," Sam said. "You've still got plenty of choices there, G."_

_Callen looked them over and finally chose an Oreo Surprise cupcake. Sam took a Chocolate Mint Madness. "Mmm… these are very good, Sam," Callen said, after he had eaten a mouthful of the decadent dessert. "So, total honesty, you were planning on bringing these to work tomorrow, weren't you?"_

_Sam took another bite of his cupcake and ate it slowly before he looked back at Callen and grinned. "Yeah, you got me." His expression then turned serious. "But I couldn't help being worried about you, so sue me."_

_Callen smirked. "Cupcakes, Belgian beer and a steak dinner…You certainly know how to celebrate a five year partnership," he said._

_"It's been a great five years, G," Sam said._

_"Yes, Sam…Yes it has."_

Looking back on that day and Sam's reaction to hurting him and comparing it with what Nate had done, Callen realized there was really no comparison to be made. It seemed that Nate hadn't given a crap about what he had done to him. He hadn't expressed any concern or remorse following the incident. It was at that moment that Callen realized there was no way that he could work with Nate. He wasn't really sure who he could work with, but Nate just wasn't the right person. He'd lost whatever trust he used to have in the man and wasn't sure he would ever get it back.


	54. Chapter 54

"These are really good, Deeks," Callen said, after he had swallowed a mouthful of the blueberry pancakes that Deeks had made for them. "I've got to say, you really are quite a cook. I'm getting kind of spoiled with all these fancy breakfasts."

"Thanks, Callen," Deeks said, looking pleased at the compliment.

"Oh Callen, all this praise is going to go straight to his head," Kensi said, smiling.

"I notice you're not exactly turning your nose up at my pancakes," Deeks said to her. Just then, his cell phone rang and he grabbed it and turned it on. "Good morning, Hetty. Uh huh…uh huh…okay, we'll see you then."

"Hetty's coming over?" Callen asked after Deeks had clicked off his phone. "Why?"

Deeks shrugged. "She didn't say. Just said she was giving us notice this time instead of popping in unexpectedly."

"How much notice?" Kensi asked. "When is she coming?"

"Twenty minutes," Deeks said, grinning.

Callen rolled his eyes. "Wow…that's a whole lot of notice."

"At least we have time to finish up with breakfast," Kensi commented. "Speaking of which, you wouldn't be able to make a few more pancakes, would you?" Kensi gave Deek a pleading look.

"Well…if you insist, do you insist?"

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Yes, Deeks, I insist on having a couple more of your truly wonderful pancakes. Happy now?"

"Yes." Deeks said as he headed over to the stove and the still hot skillet. He then began to pour the batter. "How about you, Callen? You want any more?"

"No thanks, Deeks, I'm pretty full," Callen said, patting his stomach. "I'm going to go take a quick shower and get dressed before Hetty gets here. Thanks for breakfast though. It was great and just leave the dishes. I'll do them when I come back down."

Kensi shook her head. "That really isn't necessary, Callen."

"I want to," Callen insisted.

"We'll leave them for you," Deeks said.

Callen gave Deeks a grateful smile and headed upstairs to shower.

"Deeks, it really isn't necessary for him to do the dishes," Kensi said. "I can do them."

Deeks shook his head, his attention on the pancake batter. "I know it isn't necessary, Kensalina," he said. "It's good for him though."

"Why is it good for him?" Kensi asked with a teasing smile. "So you don't have to do them yourself?"

"Of course not," said Deeks, shaking his head, his eyes serious. "It makes him feel useful, Kens…he doesn't like being dependent on us for everything. I wouldn't like it either. It sucks to be in that situation. If there's stuff he wants to do, we should just let him do it."

"As long as he doesn't hurt himself…"

Deeks chuckled. "Come on…it's not like he's out shoveling holes in the ground or on top of the house fixing the roof. What's going to happen to him? Dishpan hands? He's fine, Kensi. He doesn't need to be mothered. Trust me on that."

Kensi sighed and spoke quietly, even though she could hear the water running and knew Callen was in the shower. "I know, Deeks. It's just…he's still having nightmares and not sleeping well. He looks really tired today or didn't you notice?"

"Yes, I noticed," Deeks said, coming back to the table and putting a couple of pancakes onto her plate. "I still think that everyday routines help. We've been keeping an eye on him. He's recovering physically. He's definitely not worse. If we try to smother him, he's only going to push back and that's not going to help anyone."

"I guess you're right." Kensi reached for the syrup and poured some generously onto her pancakes as Deeks sat across from her.

"In this case, I know I'm right, Kensi. Let him do stuff if he wants to. It's only going to help."

xxxxx

"Come in, Hetty," Deeks said as he opened the door for the operations manager. "How are you today?"

"Fine, Mr. Deeks, just fine," Hetty said as she made her way into the house. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Deeks said. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"Good morning, Hetty," Kensi said with a smile as Hetty walked to the sofa and sat down next to Kensi.

"Good morning, Ms. Blye, are you doing well?" Hetty asked.

"I am," Kensi said and was about to say more when her eyes went to Callen who was coming down the stairs.

"Hello, Hetty," Callen said.

"Good morning, Mr. Callen…" Hetty turned to Deeks and Kensi. "Would it be possible for me to have a word with him alone?"

"If you want to talk with me, Hetty, why don't we just go out?" Callen asked, not wanting to put the couple out of their house once again.

"You really don't have to," Kensi protested, but Hetty had already gotten to her feet. "An excellent suggestion, Mr. Callen. It really is quite a lovely day. Some fresh air will do you good."

The two walked outside and got into Hetty's convertible. "Any preference to where we're going?" Hetty asked, glancing over at her head agent.

"Wherever you'd like, Hetty," Callen replied.

She nodded and the two drove in silence until she pulled up to an isolated spot along the beach. They sat silently for a few moments watching the waves pounding on the shore. "Walk with me, Mr. Callen," Hetty finally directed as she got out of the car and Callen did the same.

"You look tired," Hetty said after they had walked along for a bit.

"I'm a little bit tired," Callen admitted, "but I'm fine, Hetty."

"Hmm… You have a doctor's appointment this afternoon," Hetty informed him. "There was a cancellation and Dr. Bryant called me. He thought it would be good for you to take the open spot."

Callen rolled his eyes. "Isn't it customary for the doctor to call the patient, Hetty? Why didn't he call me?"

"Why you don't have a phone, Mr. Callen," Hetty said with a smile. "I actually brought you a new one. It's in my car."

"About time," Callen murmured under his breath.

"What was that?" Hetty asked.

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought," Hetty said with a knowing smile.

"Do I get to know what time my appointment is or is he going to just show up at the door unexpectedly?" Callen asked.

"No, no…You'll be going to his office. Your appointment is at 12:30. Mr. Hanna will pick you up and take you there."

"Sam?" Callen perked up a little bit at that news.

"Yes, Mr. Hanna was quite insistent on being involved with your plan of care when we first came up with this plan in Seattle. Of course, he did expect you'd be staying at his home."

"Sam needs time with his family."

"You're his family too," Hetty said, looking up at him.

Callen sighed. "I know that, Hetty. Things are fine right now though. I'd just prefer to leave them the way they are, unless you're going to relent and let me return to my own place?" He gave her a hopeful look.

Hetty looked back at Callen thoughtfully, but didn't answer his question. "So, how did things go with Nate yesterday?" she asked.

"Really, Hetty? Is that what its dependent on?" he asked in an aggravated tone. "You know…I could go home if I wanted to. I may work for you, but you really don't have any say over what I do in my personal life…"

"No, but when you were in the hospital, you did agree to stay with either Mr. Hanna or myself until it was deemed that you were able to stay alone. I took you at your word that you meant what you said."

"I really think…"

Hetty interrupted him. "Perhaps you don't recall exactly how poorly you were doing when you were in the hospital? Your frame of mind was not good, Mr. Callen. Shall I go over it all for you? How you refused to believe that Mr. Hanna was alive, even when he was right in front of you? Should we go over all your symptoms? Your nightmares? Your fears?"

"Alright! God, Hetty…sometimes I think you enjoy baiting me," Callen said, clearly frustrated. "I'll stay where I am, unless you insist on me going back to Sam's house."

"No. It's fine for you to stay with Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye. I can see that it's been good for you. And I don't enjoy baiting you," Hetty responded. "But sometimes you can be very stubborn."

"Yeah…well that's the pot calling the kettle black."

"Perhaps so," Hetty said agreeably.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes before Hetty spoke again. "Now…about Mr. Getz…"

"I can't work with him, Hetty," Callen said after another silence. "I gave it a lot of thought, I promise you I did, but…I just can't do it. I really just don't trust him…"

Hetty nodded. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I suppose I had hoped you would be able to put your differences with him aside, but I understand why you're not able to."

Callen didn't say anything. He had noted the waterboarding incident in his report after it had happened, but he had never recorded the things Nate had said. He hadn't thought it was necessary at the time. Sam had dragged some of it out of him, but he had never spoken to Hetty about it and had no plans to do so.

"Do you have any idea who you are going to work with? You are going to have to talk with someone and I mean a professional, not one of your teammates. It needs to be someone who can make an informed decision about when you will be allowed to return to work."

"I'll find someone."

"Well see that you do," Hetty said. "Because this isn't a debate. If you don't find someone who is able to give a qualified opinion, you will not be allowed to return to duty."

"I get it, Hetty. I said I'll find someone."

"Good. You let me know when you have. Now, I'm going to have to bring you back as I need to go into the office. "

Callen breathed a sigh of relief. He loved Hetty, but sometimes it was painful to have to deal with her. They headed to her car and then she drove him back to Kensi and Deeks' place. Before he got out of the car, she handed him his new cell phone. "Agent Gibbs has been trying to reach you," she said. "He was quite concerned about you. I told him I would have you call him back."

Callen nodded. "I'll call him later on today."

"Alright, well let me know how you make out at your appointment."

"Won't Dr. Bryant be reporting to you?" Callen asked with a smirk.

"Yes…I suppose he will be… well you have a nice day."

"You too, Hetty. Thanks for the phone. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye, Mr. Callen."

xxxxx

"You weren't gone long," Deeks commented, looking up from his laptop as Callen came back into the house.

"Really?" Callen asked. "It seemed like forever."

"That bad?"

"Oh yeah," Callen said as he sat down in a chair across from where Deeks and Kensi were sitting. "She thinks I'm her kid, her **_five-year-old_** kid."

"Oh that's a little bit of an exaggeration, isn't it?" Kensi asked.

"No…not really. I have a doctor's appointment today, which she made for me, because God forbid I make my own appointments."

"She just cares about you, Callen," Kensi said.

"Yeah, I know…but I really wish she'd dial it back a little bit."

"I can give you a ride to the doctor," Deeks said. "What time?"

Callen shook his head. "Thanks Deeks, I appreciate the offer, but Sam is actually going to take me and I guess I need to do a few things before I go. She really doesn't give much notice for stuff." He stood up, shaking his head as he went over to the kitchen to do the dishes.

"Cal…"

"Kens…don't," Deeks said, shooting her a look.

"But he needs to leave soon," she protested.

"He can handle dishes."

"I can, Kensi," Callen called to them, grinning. "I've still got a half hour or so before Sam will be here."

Kensi blushed, Deeks chuckled and Callen quickly got the dishes washed, dried and put away. He then went back to the living room to wait for his partner to arrive.

xxxxx

"So…you make a decision about Nate yet?" Sam asked as the two men sat in the waiting room, waiting for Callen's name to be called.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, I've decided to find someone else. I have no idea who, but…I don't think I can work with him."

"Well…I've got to say, I think you're making a good choice," Sam said. "After what he did to you, I can't say I trust him either."

"Mr. Callen?" the receptionist called his name.

"See you in a bit." Callen got up and followed the medical assistant into a small room where she proceeded to take his vital signs. He then waited for a few minutes until Dr. Bryant came in.

"How are you doing, Callen?" the doctor said as he shook Callen's hand. "Haven't seen you for a while."

"No offence, but I kind of wish we had kept it that way," Callen said with a grin. "How have you been?"

"Can't complain." He skimmed through Callen's chart. "Well, your vitals look good. No fever. You still taking the antibiotics?"

"Yes," said Callen, nodding.

"Good. Let's have a look at you." Dr. Bryant then proceeded to carefully examine Callen. "Are you making sure to do some deep breathing exercises daily?" he asked after he had gently prodded Callen's rib areas.

"Well…"

"It's important, Callen," Dr. Bryant scolded gently. "You don't want to wind up with pneumonia, do you? Are you taking anything for the pain? It will enable you to breathe easier."

"I'll try to remember to do them regularly."

"Do more than try. Do them, Callen. I don't think you want another hospitalization added to your chart."

"No…you're right about that. I'll do them. I promise."

"Alright, I want to keep a close eye on you. Make an appointment with the receptionist to come back in a week."

Callen's first instinct was to complain, but he didn't, realizing that he needed to follow the doctor's instructions. He really didn't want to end up getting sick. "I'll do that."

Dr. Bryant smiled. "Okay then. I'll let you get on with your day. I'll see you next week."

Callen nodded. "Have a good day."

Callen made the requested appointment and then went over to his partner who was standing by the door. "Come on, Sam, let's get out of here."

"Everything go okay?" Sam looked at his partner curiously as they walked through the parking lot to where the Challenger was parked.

"Yeah, I'm good," Callen said with a nod.

"You want to get some lunch?" Sam asked after the two men had seatbelted themselves into the car.

"Okay, sure."

"Where do you feel like going?"

"Wherever you want, Sam. It doesn't matter to me."

"Is a double-double calling your name?"

Callen smiled. "Well, I'm not going to say no to a double-double."

Sam nodded as he pulled out of his parking space. "In-N-Out it is then." They drove to the closest location. When they got there, Sam turned to his partner. "You want to eat inside?"

"Why don't we order from the drive-through and eat at the beach," Callen suggested.

"Sounds good." Sam ordered their lunch and after passing the food off to G, drove to the nearest beach. "This good?"

"Yeah, perfect." Sam pulled off the road and the two men got out of the vehicle then went and sat on the stone wall alongside the beach. "So things going good with Kensi and Deeks?" Sam asked, as he took a bite of his burger.

Callen nodded. "Yeah, things are fine."

"Listen G…I just want to say, I'm sorry if I or my family did or said anything that made you not want to stay with us."

Callen gave Sam a stricken look. "Come on, Sam… Of course you didn't. You and your family have always been good to me. It's what I said. I just thought you deserved some family time without me butting in all the time. Kam should have some daddy-daughter time."

Sam shook his head. "Trust me on this, G…Kam would like nothing more than to have some time with her Uncle Callen."

"I'll make time for her, Sam. I promise."

Sam shook his head. "I'm not trying to pressure you into spending time with Kam, G…I just want to make sure you know that you're always welcome…that you're a part of our family.

"Trust me, Sam, I know," Callen said, gazing back at his partner emotionally. "You and your family have always made that very clear to me."

"Alright…I guess I just wanted to make sure…"

"You're my best friend, Sam…my brother," Callen said emotionally, wanting to assure his partner of the truth behind his words. "That's never going to change."

"Thank you, G…" Sam smiled at his partner. "You already know the same goes for me, but it bears repeating."

Callen smiled and the two men returned to their lunch. They ate quietly, making some small talk, but mostly just content to enjoy the day and each other's company.


	55. Chapter 55

"Hey Callen, how was your appointment?" Deeks asked as Callen came through the front door and into the living room. "Everything okay?"

Callen nodded. "Yeah. Everything's good." He sat on the chair across from where Deeks was sitting, unsure of what to do with himself. He thought about calling Gibbs, but it was relatively early on the east coast and Gibbs would be at work. He was going to wait until that night to call him. He felt restless and bored. "What are you guys up to today?"

"Nothing," Deeks said with a shrug. "Why? Do you want to go someplace?"

"No…I was just wondering…You need any help with anything around here?"

Deeks thought about that and slowly shook his head. "Sorry, Callen. I can't really think of anything. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know."

Callen nodded. "Thanks."

"Hi Callen," Kensi said, coming into the living room and sitting next to Deeks on the sofa. "Everything okay with you? What did the doctor say?"

"Not much," Callen said with a shrug. "Just to make sure I do breathing exercises and I need to see him again in a week."

"Have you been doing them?" Kensi asked.

"Sometimes," Callen said.

"Yeah, they kind of suck, especially if they hurt," Deeks said. "I guess they're a necessary evil though."

"Yeah, I need to get with the program, I guess," Callen said. "If I don't, I'm never going to get back to work."

"I'm eager to get back too," Kensi said. "Even if I can't be in the field."

Deeks looked from Kensi to Callen with an amused look on his face. "You guys need to learn to relax," he said. "Look at all we've been through the past few weeks. I mean, I admit I'd love to be out surfing, but I'm not obsessively thinking about work because I can't be.

"I'm not obsessively thinking of work," Callen denied what Deeks had said. "But I admit, I want to go back. You'll all be back there next week and I'll be having to spill my guts to some shrink."

Kensi looked at him sympathetically. "It won't be that bad…"

Callen stared back at her. "Really, Kens? You want to take my place?"

"Well, no," Kensi admitted with a faint smile. "But it's not like I haven't had to do it before. All of us have at one time or another."

Callen sighed. He had talked to Nate and other shrinks for psych evals in the past, but this was the first time he actually believed he _**needed**_ to do it. He'd always just told them what he figured they wanted to hear before. Now he didn't even know how he was going to handle it. He had a feeling that trying to sidestep everything wasn't going to work for him this time. Wishing and hoping his nightmares and fear of the darkness away certainly wasn't helping.

Deeks thoughtfully eyed Callen and then got up off the sofa. "Come on, we're getting out of here,"

"To do what?" asked Kensi.

"To go where?" asked Callen.

"You'll see," Deeks said, grinning at them.

"I think I'm going to just stay here," Callen said, feeling very much like a third wheel. "You two go and have fun."

"No way, Callen," Kensi protested. "If you're not going, I'm not either."

"You are **_both_** coming," Deeks said. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Come on, Deeks," Callen said. "I just got back from being out."

"Really?" Deeks asked. "You call going to the doctor's being out? You really need to get a life, Callen."

"We got lunch too."

"Sorry, that doesn't count. You need to do anything or are you ready to go now?" Deeks asked, looking at his reluctant girlfriend and friend.

Callen looked across at Kensi who grabbed her crutches and got to her feet. "Fine," she said with a sigh. Callen stayed put in his chair.

"We're not leaving without you," Deeks said, staring at the other man.

"He does mean that," Kensi said. "He'll just persistently nag you until he gets his way."

"What if I'm just super tired and not feeling up to going out?"

"Are you?" Deeks asked.

Callen thought about fibbing and saying he was too tired to go out, but he wasn't and in any case, he was sick of being thought of as an invalid. "No." He finally stood up and stared at Deeks. "I'm ready."

"Great, let's get moving," Deeks said with a grin.

xxxxx

"I need to make a stop," Deeks said as he pulled into the parking lot of a local drugstore.

"What are you getting, a pack of gum or a comb or something?" Callen asked.

"Not exactly," Deeks turned his head toward Callen who was seated in the back and grinned. "Either of you want anything? Callen, you're kind of grouchy. You need some candy to eat in the car?"

"You're hilarious, Deeks," Callen said. "I don't need anything."

"I'm good," Kensi stated.

"Okay, I shouldn't be long. Try not to talk about me too much." Deeks then got out of the car and closed the door.

"Sometimes I wonder about him," Callen said, watching through the window as Deeks entered the store.

"Sometimes I do too," Kensi admitted with a giggle, "but he's just so cute."

"I'll take your word on that," Callen said, smirking. He couldn't say cute was in his vocabulary of words to describe Deeks.

After about 10 minutes or so, they spotted Deeks exiting the store, carrying a large box. "What the heck does he have?" Kensi asked.

Callen squinted and eventually could make out the words on the box. "It's a wheelchair."

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Oh you've got to be kidding me." She rolled down her window and called out to Deeks as he approached the car. "Deeks, return that! I don't need it."

"Too much walking where we're going for you to have to use crutches, Kens. Besides, I can donate it somewhere when you're done with it. I'll find someone who really needs it and give it to them."

Kensi sighed but knew enough to try to argue with Deeks when he was like this. He put the box in the back of the car and tossed Callen a pack of M&Ms. "Here, I think your blood sugar may be low." He then gave a pack to Kensi too.

"Ha ha," Callen said, but he found himself unable to resist the multi-colored candies once they were in his possession and he began nibbling them as Deeks started up the car once again.

xxxxx

"The M&Ms calmed junior down nicely," Deeks whispered to Kensi as he drove.

"You do know that junior isn't deaf, don't you Deeks," Callen asked from the back seat. "Or did you forget there's not a piece of soundproof glass between us."

"Of course not," Deeks said, smiling. "Just making sure you were paying attention. But in any case, it doesn't matter, because we're here."

Both Callen and Kensi looked out their windows. "Santa Monica Pier?" asked Callen. "Really?"

"Yes, really, my little friend. You're going to have fun in spite of yourself," Deeks said. He drove around in search of a parking spot and managed to find a good one. He then got out of the car and reached into the back seat for the box containing the transport wheelchair and began to open it.

"Deeks? You do realize that it only has small wheels." Kensi had gotten out of the car and was watching as he pulled it out of the box and began to unfold it. "You're going to have to push me around."

"And that will be purely a pleasure," Deeks said, grinning at Kensi. "A labor of love."

Kensi began to laugh which turned into her familiar snort and Callen couldn't help but laugh too, caught up in the absurdity of the whole thing. "Do you need help with that?" he asked, watching Deeks.

Deeks shook his head. "I've got it. It mostly just needs to be unfolded, not really much assembly." He got it ready to move relatively quickly and pushed it over to Kensi. "Your chariot awaits."

Kensi smiled as she sat down in the wheelchair and twisted her head upwards to look at Deeks. "This really was very sweet of you."

"You know I'd do anything for you, Fern," he said softly, leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead. "But come on, let's go explore and have some fun."

xxxxx

The trio spent the next couple of hours playing arcade games, exploring shops filled with all kinds of unique memorabilia, eating ice cream cones and Kensi and Deeks even managed to persuade a reluctant Callen to ride the Carousel with them. Finally, they decided to head out. "Oh Deeks, the ferris wheel," Kensi gave him a pleading look. "I love the ferris wheel."

"You know I can't resist you anything when you look at me that way," Deeks said. "Come on, Callen, one more stop and we'll finally be out of here."

Callen followed them along contently. He was actually glad he had come. Kensi and Deeks had a carefree way about them that was contagious and for a while he had been able to put some of his problems temporarily out of his mind. That was, at least until they reached the ferris wheel.

"Hey Callen, you going to come with us?" Deeks asked, turning to look at the other man who was lagging behind them. He was staring at the ferris wheel with a look of what Deeks would have thought was fear in his eyes, if he didn't know better.

"What?" Callen looked at Deeks and shook his head. "Uh…no. You guys go ahead. I'll wait over there on the bench." Without waiting for a response from Deeks, Callen turned away from them and walked over to the bench, leaving Kensi and Deeks looking after him.

"That was kind of weird," Deeks said as he pushed Kensi's wheelchair to take their place in the line to ride the ferris wheel.

"It wasn't that weird," Kensi said. "Do you really think Callen is a ride guy, Deeks?"

"I don't know…" Deeks said. "It was just the look in his eyes. It was like he was scared…"

"I doubt Callen is scared of a ferris wheel," Kensi said. "I don't think he's afraid of heights. I've never seen any evidence of that, have you?"

"No…" Deeks said after a brief hesitation, "but I don't know, Kensi…I still think that there's something up with him…something wasn't quite right…"

xxxxx

Callen's heart was beating like crazy as he made his way over to the empty bench and slumped down on it. He leaned forward and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. Long forgotten memories were suddenly flashing into his mind. He took some deep breaths and tried to clear his head, but the images were becoming more vivid now and he couldn't seem to stop them.

It had happened when he was six years old. He had been living with the Murphy family for about two weeks, give or take. Brenda Murphy had been a sweet, but timid woman. She had been very loving towards Callen, taking him places, giving him treats. Her husband, Donald, had been an entirely different story, but he had worked a lot and fortunately wasn't around all that much. That day, Brenda had taken him and his foster sister, Jenny, who was a couple years older than him, to the local fair. They had gone there on the bus and Donald was to pick them up after he had finished work for the day. At first, he had a blast. Brenda had allowed him to eat countless treats, a hot dog, cotton candy, ice cream, popcorn. He couldn't remember ever doing anything like that before. It had all been perfect, until the ferris wheel. When it first started, he'd been amazed as they rode in the cart and he looked down on all the people, feeling like an astronaut or a pilot. He had sat in the middle and felt quite safe, not thinking it was scary at all. That was until the wheel had stopped suddenly and they had been at the very top. Even then, Jenny had told jokes and made him giggle and he still hadn't been afraid, not until Brenda had started to panic.

_"Oh my God…Oh my God…we're all going to die. We're going to die," Brenda said as tears started to roll down her cheeks._

_"We…we're not really going to die, are we?" Callen had asked, looking up at her with his big blue eyes._

_"Of course we're not," Jenny said, taking his hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "Everything is going to be okay. Don't be scared."_

_"I'm not scared," he had stated bravely._

_"Why don't you help us!" Brenda screamed and when she did so, some of the children in other carts below them started to cry and finally Callen did too. "We're all going to die!"_

Of course, they hadn't died, but by the time the problem was fixed, it was almost an hour later and even Jenny was a little worse for wear when they finally were back on solid ground. Donald Murphy, who had been waiting for a half hour, was in no mood for excuses, no matter how good they were. All he wanted was to get home to a hot meal and a cold beer. It didn't help that they were now in rush hour traffic, which on a Friday afternoon, was even worse than usual.

_"Don't know what you were doing up there on that fool wheel anyhow," Donald barked at his wife. "You're an idiot."_

_"You're an idiot," Callen piped up from the back seat._

_"What did you say?" Donald asked, glaring at the child through the rear view mirror. "You better watch yourself, you little shit."_

_"Callen, don't," Jenny whispered to him. "You're going to get in trouble."_

_"I don't feel good," Callen said. "I need to get out of the car. I think I'm going to throw up."_

_"You better not!" Donald yelled at him. "I can't pull over anywhere. Damn you, Brenda, taking these snot-nosed brats to the fair. I oughta wallop you."_

_"Please, Donald…" Brenda said, starting to cry._

_"You're a mean man!" Callen shouted. "You're not supposed to make girls cry."_

_"No?! Well I'm sure as hell going to make you cry when I get you back in the house," Donald said, enraged at the gall of the boy._

_Callen narrowed his eyes and stuck out his lower lip, but he didn't say anything until his stomach started churning once again. "Brenda? I really am going to be sick," he called out to her._

_"Oh honey, try not to," Brenda said as she glanced nervously at her husband. 'We're almost home, sweetie."_

_"I…I don't know how to hold it in," Callen said and then he couldn't. He threw up all over the back of Donald's seat and all over the carpeting._

_"You little bastard!" Donald screamed. "You're going to be so sorry you did that! You'll be so damn sorry, you'll wish you'd never been born! Just you wait till we get home. Just you wait!"_

Callen came back into the present, pretty shaken by this long forgotten memory. He looked up at the ferris wheel and could see Kensi and Deeks. They looked so happy and in love. He couldn't help but envy them. They waved down at him and he halfheartedly waved back at them. He thought about his memories again and tried to remember what had happened after they had arrived home that day. No matter how hard he tried though, he couldn't recall anything else. It was all just a giant blank. Just another thing that showed him how truly screwed up he really was. He couldn't help but wonder if he was ever going to be able to go back to work…


	56. Chapter 56

"That was so fun," Kensi said as she got back into the wheelchair and Deeks pushed her away from the ferris wheel. "I've always loved ferris wheels, ever since I was a little girl."

"One thing I'll say about you, you're definitely easy to please," Deeks said, smiling as they approached the bench where Callen was sitting. The smile left Deeks' face quickly though when he looked at Callen. He looked disturbed and almost seemed to be dazed. "Hey Callen? You okay?"

When Callen failed to respond to Deeks' question, Kensi reached for his hand. Callen jumped at her touch and looked at Kensi in confusion.

"Callen? Are you alright?" Kensi asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He got up from the bench and started walking ahead of them towards the exit. "We ready to get out of here?"

"What was that?" Kensi asked, looking up at Deeks as he started to push her again.

"I don't know," Deeks said, shaking his head. "But I'm pretty sure it wasn't anything good."

xxxxx

The mood in the car was tense as Deeks drove the little group back home. Callen was silent which rubbed off on Kensi and Deeks as well. Except for a few brief periods of small talk, none of them said anything. When they arrived back at the house, Callen immediately headed for the stairs and went up to his room as Kensi and Deeks went into the living room.

"What do you think happened?" Kensi asked as she sat on the sofa, a look of concern on her face.

"I have no idea," Deeks said with a shrug. "Maybe he ran into someone he didn't like?"

Kensi nodded slowly. "Maybe…Although he did start acting weird when we first went over to the ferris wheel…"

"Yeah…I don't know Kens…I don't think speculation will help. Unless he decides to talk to us about it, which I doubt is going to happen, I don't think we're going to be getting any answers."

"I think you're right," Kensi said. She leaned into Deeks and he put his arm around her. "Want to watch a movie or something?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure." He picked up the remote control from the coffee table and turned on the television as they both tried to distract themselves from their unhappy friend upstairs.

xxxxx

Callen sat on his bed with a sigh. He knew he had acted like a jerk on the way home. Deeks had gone out of his way to make a nice afternoon for the three of them and he had ruined it. He wasn't sure exactly why he was so affected by the memory. It wasn't really all that terrible in itself, but the fact that it had ended so abruptly, when there had obviously been more to it, was the part that really bothered him. The fact that there was another part of his childhood he had blocked out, made him wonder if there was even more that he couldn't remember. It made him feel very uneasy and somehow incomplete. He picked up his laptop and turned it on, then began the tedious process of trying to find someone who could maybe help him. After about an hour, he still had made no headway. There were just so many psychologists and they were all beginning to sound the same. Exhausted, he closed the laptop, stretched out on the bed and fell asleep.

xxxxx

"You feel like eating anything?" Deeks asked Kensi. "It's almost 6." They were partly through what he found to be a very boring movie. At least preparing food would give him something to do other than watch it.

Kensi shrugged sleepily. "I don't know…I'm not really hungry."

"Yeah, me either," Deeks admitted. "Guess that's what happens when you eat ice cream cones late in the day."

"Hmm…I guess…especially three scoop ice cream cones." She shifted her position and yawned. "Do you like this movie?"

"Considering I'm sort of hoping every character in it gets killed, I'm guessing the answer is no," Deeks replied with a grin.

Kensi smiled and picked up the remote control then turned the channel. "Let's find something else to watch."

"Something funny would be good. I could use a laugh."

Kensi nodded and started to scroll through the channels, but nothing really appealed to either of them. Finally she just turned the television off. She rested her head on Deeks' chest as he absently started to play with her hair. "Do you think you should check on him?' she finally asked.

"I'd like to," Deeks said, "but I'm not going to."

"Why not?"

He shook his head. "It's not going to help anything. Most likely, it'll just piss him off and I don't want to do that. I'm going to leave him alone for the time being. He knows where we are if he wants company or wants to talk."

"You're probably right," Kensi said. "I just can't help but worry about him sometimes. He just gets this lost look in his eyes that makes me feel really sad for him and I want to help him feel better."

"I think it's just going to take time, Kens," Deeks said quietly. "It really hasn't been very long. Whatever is eating at him…it's not just going to disappear overnight…He needs to take the proper steps to help his recovery. We can't do it for him."

"I know," Kensi said, sighing softly. "I just wish it was easier. I want him to be able to put this behind him and get on with his life."

"Me too, baby….Me too..."

xxxxx

Callen awoke after about an hour with his heart pounding and a strong feeling of dread. He had no idea what he had been dreaming about or why he felt the way he did. "You need to get yourself together," he whispered to himself. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was 6 o'clock. It would be nine in D.C. He picked up his cell phone and thought about calling Gibbs, but wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to do it right then. He played with his phone and was in the process of passing it from one hand to the other, when it suddenly rang, causing him to start slightly. Gibbs' name came up on the display. He stared at the letters for a few seconds then clicked on the phone and put it up to his ear. "Hey Gibbs," he said. "I was just about to call you…"

"Really Callen?" Gibbs' familiar voice came over the phone. "Somehow I don't really believe that. How are you? I get back from an overseas trip and find you've been in all kinds of trouble."

"I'm good," Callen said. "How are you doing?"

"Everything's fine with me. Hetty kind of gave me the impression things weren't so good with you though," Gibbs said, concern evident in his voice.

"Oh? Well, you know Hetty," Callen said with a laugh that sounded false even to his own ears. "She's always making something out of nothing." The hitch in Callen's voice belied his words though and he knew he was dangerously close to losing it.

"Come on, Callen…I know we don't see other that often, but I've known you for a long time…"

Callen swallowed hard, not saying anything. He was mortified to find tears welling in his eyes and was grateful Gibbs wasn't there in person.

"You there?"

"Yeah," he answered gruffly, blinking his eyes quickly then swiping them with the back of his hand. "I'm here. I'm good."

"Come on…talk to me…"

"I just…" He had no idea why Gibbs' phone call was causing him to unravel this way.

"You're scaring me…Do you need me to go out there?"

"What? No." Gibbs' offer helped Callen get himself back into some semblance of control. "I don't. I'm fine, Gibbs. I just…I just have some stuff I need to work through, that's all…"

"Someone helping you work through this stuff?" Gibbs asked.

More silence, then finally Callen spoke quietly. "Working on it."

"No offense, but from the sounds of you, you need to work on it a little bit faster."

"Not that easy."

"Hey…you don't have to tell me. You know how I feel about shrinks, but sometimes it's the only way."

"I'm trying to find somebody. Nate…it's not going to work out with him. Like I said…I'm working on it."

"Maybe I can help."

"You a shrink now, Gibbs?" Callen asked, this time with a legitimate chuckle.

"No, but I may know someone who could help you."

"You're forgetting we're on opposite coasts."

"I'm not forgetting. I just think it's possible she would go out there."

"Kind of a long distance for a house call, Gibbs. Don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll find someone."

"She's worked with my team, Callen. She's good. You remember me talking about Kate in the past, don't you?"

"Yeah…I remember."

"Well, this is her sister, Rachel Cranston. Since she's worked with NCIS before, I'm pretty sure Leon would approve it."

"I don't know," Callen said hesitantly.

"You have any better ideas?" Gibbs asked.

Callen's silence once again spoke volumes.

"Let me see what I can do," Gibbs said. "I'll get back to you sometime tomorrow, after I speak with her, okay?"

Callen nodded to himself, feeling a modicum of relief that perhaps some of the burden was being taken off his shoulders. "Yeah…okay, thanks, Gibbs."

"You take care of yourself, get some rest."

"I will, thanks again...good night."

"Good night, Callen."


	57. Chapter 57

After his conversation with Gibbs, Callen lay on the bed and thought about going downstairs to apologize to Kensi and Deeks for his behavior after they left the Santa Monica Pier. However, the psychological weariness he felt translated into physical exhaustion and he ended up falling asleep once again. It was still light outside though and he never thought to turn on the lamp beside him before he drifted off.

xxxxx

_He could hear the menacing growl in the distance but could see nothing through the pitch blackness of the mine. Callen flattened himself against the wall of the cave, unsure of how to defend himself against this new unknown threat as the growling continued to increase in volume. His last thoughts as the enormous creature attacked him were why was he so alone? Why had his team abandoned him?_

_xxxxx_

Callen awoke screaming in the dark room and frantically thrust his arm in the direction of where he thought the bedside lamp was. Completely disoriented, he ended up knocking it to the floor and the sound of the shattering glass of both the lamp and the light bulb only further increased his fear.

xxxxx

Kensi and Deeks were in bed reading when they heard Callen's scream followed by the sound of a crash. "What was that?" Kensi asked, looking alarmed.

"I'll find out." Deeks quickly got out of bed and trotted down the hallway to Callen's bedroom. "Callen? Hey man, you alright?" he asked, turning on the wall switch for the overhead light in the room. Once he did so, he saw Callen sitting up in bed with what could only be described as a look of panic in his eyes. He seemed totally unaware of Deeks' presence. "Callen?" Deeks approached him, being careful not to step on any of the shards of glass with his bare feet. "Come on, man…everything's okay. You're okay." He sat on the bed beside the distraught man and cautiously put his arm around his shoulders. He could feel him trembling under his touch. "Callen? Can you hear me?"

Finally, Deeks' words began to penetrate through Callen's shroud of terror. "I…wh…what happened?"

"I'm guessing you had a nightmare," Deeks said, his voice gentle. "You feeling better?"

"I…" Callen's eyes went to the shattered lamp on the floor. "I broke your lamp?"

"I'm not worried about the lamp, Callen," Deeks tried to assure him. "I'm worried about you. Are you okay?"

"But I broke it…if you break things you're going to get punished," Callen whispered, his whole body tensing.

Deeks' eyes widened at this unexpected and definitely worrisome comment from his friend. "Come on Callen, snap out of it."

"Deeks?" Callen said, this time, appearing to really register the other man's presence.

"Yeah, it's me… Callen are you alright?"

Callen nodded but his eyes had that lost look that Deeks and Kensi seemed to be witnessing more and more as of late. "I'm fine."

Deeks saw a bottle of water on the nightstand and reached for it then handed it to Callen. "Here…drink some of this," he instructed.

Callen took the water from Deeks and took a couple of sips before replacing the cap and putting the bottle back on the nightstand. His eyes went to the broken lamp. "I'm really sorry about that, Deeks…I'll clean it up and I'll buy you a new lamp. Just tell me where you got it. Hopefully, I can find the same one."

"Callen, it was just a cheap lamp. I don't care about it. I'm worried about you."

"You don't need to worry about me," Callen said quietly, still appearing focused on the lamp.

"Are you hungry? Why don't we go downstairs and get something to eat," Deeks suggested.

Callen didn't really feel hungry, but he just nodded at Deeks' suggestion.

"Watch out for the glass," Deeks cautioned as Callen moved to get out of bed.

"I…I should clean it up now," Callen said.

"We'll worry about it later. Come on, let's go downstairs."

Callen obediently followed Deeks downstairs and sat on the sofa in the living room. "I'll be right back, okay?" Deeks said. Callen nodded and Deeks quickly ran back up the stairs to his bedroom.

"What happened?" Kensi asked as Deeks entered the room.

"Nightmare," Deeks said. "He knocked over the lamp."

Kensi shook her head sadly. "Oh Deeks, he's just not doing very well."

"It's just a bad day, Kens," Deeks said, trying to reassure her. "Whatever triggered him at the ferris wheel must be still with him on some level. He's downstairs and I'm going to make us something to eat. Are you hungry?"

"I think it might be better if it's just the two of you," Kensi said.

Deeks nodded. "That might be true, but I can still bring you up something if you'd like."

"Well, I'm not going to say no to a food delivery if you feel like making one," Kensi said, smiling at him. She then turned more serious. "Good luck, Deeks."

"Thanks," Deeks said. He leaned down to give her a kiss and then went back downstairs. He hesitated on the staircase, studying Callen who seemed unaware of his presence once again. That definitely was not Callen. There was no way Deeks could come walking down a staircase, which even had one or two squeaks to it, and Callen be oblivious to it if all was well with the senior agent. He shook his head and continued down into the living room. "Hey," he said softly, trying to get the other man's attention without startling him.

Callen slowly focused on Deeks . "Is Kensi coming down?" he asked.

"No…she's reading," Deeks said. "Maybe I'll bring her up something. What are you in the mood for?"

Callen shrugged. He wasn't really all that hungry but he didn't say it. "I don't care."

"Come on into the kitchen with me. You can keep me company while I figure out what to make," Deeks said.

Callen got up from the sofa and followed Deeks out into the kitchen, watching as Deeks opened up the refrigerator and began sifting through ingredients and various food choices. "It's 9 o'clock so I don't think we want anything heavy," Deeks said, "but it's probably better to have some kind of real food in our stomachs to even out the junk we ate when we were at the Pier. We don't want to get sick, do we?"

He sighed softly to himself when there was no response from Callen. He felt like he was talking to himself. "I said, we don't want to get sick, do we?" He turned his head toward Callen then quickly closed the refrigerator door when he saw the look on his face. Callen was staring at him like he had two heads. "What is it?" he asked. "What's the matter?"

"I…why would you say that?" Callen asked, a slight tremor in his voice.

Deeks shook his head in utter confusion, thinking back to what he had just said. "I'm sorry Callen, I'm not really sure what you're talking about…"

"About being sick," Callen said. "Why? Why would you say that?"

"I…do you feel sick?" Deeks asked, grasping at straws about why Callen was suddenly so upset again. It was like walking on eggshells with him. He had no idea when he was going to step on an egg and have it crack then splatter all over the place.

Callen shook his head and turned away from Deeks then walked back into the living room where he slumped back down on the sofa. Deeks slowly followed behind him.

"Callen…you know you can talk to me, right?" Deeks asked as he sat down beside the other man. "Whatever it is...I would never judge you. You know that, don't you? I mean, I've had some fucked up stuff happen to me in my life so even though I don't know exactly what's going on with you, I get having these kinds of troubles…"

"I can't…" Callen whispered. "I can't talk about this stuff."

"What about Sam?" Deeks asked. "I can call him. You know he'll come. He's your best friend. He'll come right away if you want him to."

Callen leaned down and rested his arms on his thighs while he clasped his hands tightly together as one thumb moved over the other thumb in a rhythmic pattern. Deeks found himself staring at Callen's hands and then shook his head trying to regain his focus. "Do you want me to call Sam?" he asked again.

Callen still didn't answer and Deeks was at a loss as to what to do. Finally he got up and did the only thing he could as he grabbed his cell phone. "Sam? I think you need to come over here."

xxxxx

Sam got to the house almost immediately. "Did you break every speed record known to man?" Deeks asked as he opened the door to let him in.

"What happened?" Sam asked, his eyes on his partner who wasn't even aware that he had entered the house. "I thought he seemed okay earlier today." The doctor's appointment seemed almost a lifetime ago now.

"I don't really know, Sam," Deeks replied. "I thought it might be good for him to get out today so we went to the Santa Monica Pier. Everything was fine until the ferris wheel…"

"The ferris wheel?" Sam asked. "What happened on the ferris wheel?"

"It wasn't really on the ferris wheel," Deeks explained. "Kensi wanted to go on it so we walked over there and…I don't know, it was almost like he was scared of it or something. He didn't go on it and afterwards it was like someone flipped the switch. Something was obviously bothering him and he just stopped talking. When we got back here, he went upstairs without a word. Then, Kensi and I were in bed reading and we heard him scream and something shattered which turned out to be a lamp. He obviously had a nightmare and I think he freaked out when he woke up in the dark and was trying to turn on the light. Since then, he's been pretty out of it and now…well you can see for yourself." Deeks shook his head, obviously emotionally affected by Callen's state as he went on. "I don't know, Sam…I thought it was a good thing for him to be staying here, but…look at him now. I guess maybe he should still be at your house? I just don't know…"

Sam gently patted Deeks' shoulder. His eyes were serious and emotional as he looked at the other man. "This isn't because of you, Deeks. This is him being overtaken by his demons. I guess we should have been pushing him a little harder to get help sooner rather than later… I'm going to try to talk to him." He then slowly approached the sofa.

"Hey G…" Sam said softly as he sat down next to his partner. "What's going on with you, buddy?" He started watching Callen's hands as Deeks had done earlier. It wasn't anything he had ever seen his partner do before. Finally, not knowing what else to try, he put his own hand over Callen's and stopped the movement of his thumb. Callen immediately started and seemed to come out of whatever weird trance he had been in. He turned toward Sam and looked at him in confusion, then looked at Deeks who was watching the two of them. "Sam?" he asked. "Wh…what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to get back up to Kensi," Deeks said, deciding to leave the two partners alone. "You know where I am if you need me." He then headed to the staircase and quickly walked up the stairs.

Sam watched as Deeks left and turned back to Callen. "Deeks was worried about you and he called me," Sam replied.

"Why was he worried?" Callen asked, staring down at the floor, not meeting Sam's gaze.

"I don't know, buddy," Sam said. "Maybe you can tell me?"

Callen shook his head and started nibbling on his lower lip. "I…I don't know, Sam. I…I'm alright."

"G…G, look at me," Sam said then waited patiently until his partner did as he requested. His own eyes were filled with emotion as Callen's eyes finally met his. "You're not alright. You know you're not alright, don't you?"

"I…yes…" Callen squeezed his eyes shut but one tear managed to escape and trickled down his cheek. "I…I know I'm fucked up, Sam…really fucked up…and…and it's just getting worse. I don't...I don't know what I'm doing wrong..."

Sam put his hand on Callen's back and gently rubbed it, trying to get his partner calmed down. "Listen, G…none of this is your fault…you know that, don't you? I'm sorry…I know I didn't think you seeing Nate was the best idea, but maybe…"

"No," Callen said, shaking his head. "I…I talked to Gibbs earlier. He said he knows someone he thinks would be good. He's going to give her a call tomorrow and see if he can work it out."

"Yeah?" Sam asked, a glint of hope in his eyes at that bit of news. "Well, that's good, right? It's a first step. Maybe she can really help you."

"Maybe…" Callen said with a shrug as he once again stared down at the floor. "Or maybe I'm too far gone for anyone to help me…" The new memories and lack of other memories were more than a little bit disturbing to him. Just another thing to worry about…just another reason to wonder just how badly off he really was.

"G?" Sam said, his worry intensifying over his partner's seeming lack of fight. "I need you to listen to me, okay?"

Callen slowly turned to face his partner and Sam was struck by just how sad and vulnerable he looked. "You know how much I care about you, right?"

Callen looked back at Sam and slowly nodded his head.

"And not just me. Deeks and Kensi really care about you. Hell, look how badly they wanted you to stay here with them. Hetty cares about you and even Granger in his own way, Eric, Nell…we all care about you. We all want the best for you…We all want to help you in whatever way we can."

Callen didn't say anything, but Sam saw that he at least had his partner's attention.

"I know you can do this G…and whatever you need from me to help you through it, you've got it. I'll be with you every step of the way, if you want to talk or you don't want to talk and you need me to talk you through a rough patch, I'll be there for you. Whether it's midnight, 2 a.m., 4 a.m. or whatever time it is…I'll be here as quick as I can. You call and I'll come. It's as simple as that. I want my partner back. I'll do anything you need to get you back with me okay? I just want you not to give up. You need to stay with this, okay? You need to fight and if you do that, I promise it's going to get better for you. Can you do that for me?" Sam asked. "Can you please just promise me you won't give up?" It was the same promise he had asked for after the plane crash, when they had been stranded and he had been so afraid that Callen was going to die. This was a whole different thing, but it felt just as important and the consequences seemed dire to Sam if he couldn't get Callen to agree.

Callen stared at Sam and slowly nodded, his eyes filled with emotion, knowing that everything Sam said about his feelings were true. "I promise you, Sam," he said quietly. "I promise to do the best I can to get through this. I'm not going to give up."

"Thank you, G," Sam said, his voice breaking slightly as he leaned towards Callen and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you so much."


End file.
